Lucky Star: What Comes After
by Symantra
Summary: Life does not end immediately after high school. Right after graduation is over, the real world is already tapping your shoulder and asking for you to pay the rent. Awaiting Konata and Kagami as they leave the bubble of their current life: a somewhat-peaceful life as college students. [Sequel to Between Two Friends / Discontinued]
1. Chapter 1: What Came Before

A suitcase of considerable size snapped shut, successfully sealing itself with a satisfying sound. The fierce battle to close the case while it still contained all of its contents left the "fighter" fighting for breath.

Gasping for air, the warrior fell backwards onto her bed, landing sprawled out right next to her conquered "opponent". Her theatrics lifted the eyebrows of her companion, who was seated backwards in a chair on the other side of the room.

"Do you have to turn everything into a boss battle?" Her companion asked in a somewhat-patronizing voice. A second later, her eyebrows furrowed like she was the one person out of a group who didn't understand the joke. "And what was up with that unnecessary alliteration?"

"Hm? What alliteration?" The girl on the bed sat up and looked across the room at her friend. "We aren't text on a page or anything like that, so I don't see how there could be alliteration going on here. Maybe you should get your eyes checked, Kagami."

"Even if I was hallucinating, there wouldn't be anything wrong with my eyes," Kagami scoffed. "You see illusions because your brain creates them, not your eyes."

"Don't sweat the details, Kagamin." The logical explanation was brushed off with a wave of the hand and a loud laugh.

"Whatever.. I don't care about winning these trivial arguments anyways," sighed Kagami. She scanned the room, which hadn't noticeably changed since she had met Konata—cluttered, _apparently_ organized, and all but impossible to move around in. It was hard to believe that even a dedicated otaku like her friend could live in this collector's den of dreams..

"Right? This place would bring even the most enthusiastic enthusiast to tears.." A wistful sigh reached her ears.

 _"Seriously, stop with the alliteration."_  
"Where did that thought come from? And, I'm surprised—you actually sound thoughtful, for once."

Konata sat up, crossing her arms in a huff. "Well, of course. I'm leaving behind a lot of things that are important to me. I've got to give a fitting farewell to the product of my existence in this world!"

"You could've just said it like a normal person, but I know what you mean." Kagami nodded, taking another glance around the room. "You're leaving a lot of your stuff behind, huh?"

There was a short pause in the conversation.

"Yep," was the reply when it came. "But it's not like I'm throwing it away or anything. One day, I'll be back. Maybe during the holidays, or after graduating."

"Now that's some positive, long-term thinking. I'm proud of you," Kagami joked, throwing a smirk in her blue-haired friend's direction.

"Yeah, yeah." Konata didn't seem annoyed nor amused, really. She sounded bored, distant, like she was deep in thought.

There was a longer pause. One of the girls stared straight up at the ceiling, while the other watched her passively. A silence formed between them—not a heavy or awkward silence, but there really wasn't anything to be said at the moment.

Kagami looked away from her girlfriend, who could've been sleeping and she wouldn't have known, and once again looked around the room. She looked at the shelf, filled with countless figurines and various items, and at the piles of books—mostly manga and light novels according to Konata's interests. "You know, I think I'll sort of miss this place too."

"With the hours you've spent in my room, I wouldn't be surprised if the beauty of it has grown on you," Konata commented.

Izumi-san, or Sojiro as he asked for her to address him, would be filling in for manager and caretaker of his daughter's stash when she was gone for college. He had agreed to the task with the rough sort of vigor, the sort of vigor that was questionable at first but certainly promised security.

With Konata leaving for university, the residents of the household would be down to two members: Sojiro and Yutaka. At least, for about two years, afterwhich Yutaka would be either returning home or attending college as well. Although he was clearly the one being left behind, Sojiro was full of pride at how "his girls were growing up without him".

Speak of the devil (think of the devil, in her case), a knock sounded on the door. "Hey, you two. Mind if I come in?"

"Sure, Dad." Konata was the one to give him access. The handle clicked, and the wooden door swung inwards, stopping right as it was about to come into contact with some carefully stacked merchandise, which was hiding otherwise inconspicuously in the corner.

Greeting his daughter and her girlfriend with a warm smile, Sojiro motioned for them to join him after he had confirmed they were finished packing. "Yui and I will transfer all of your things into her car. She'll drop it off before you two, so don't feel rushed."

"Tell her I said thanks, and she can help herself to my 'library' any time!" Konata beamed with satisfaction, like she had just made the most generous offer in the world.

More out of a desire to make conversation than actual curiosity, Kagami asked, "Does she actually enjoy reading the things you have in there?"

"Some of it. Of course, everything that she doesn't read is.. safely locked up, to say the least."

"I feel sick inside."

Following Sojiro down the stairs, Kagami gave her best friend a sideways glance. Physically, Konata hadn't changed at all; resembling her mother was one thing, but looking the exact same as she did three years ago was a bit odd. But, there didn't seem to be any sort of backlash to her condition, besides maybe her level of self-conscious about her own body.

Come to think of it, any transformations that Konata may have gone through were subtle, if not completely hidden. Her appearance was static, along with her personality and voice. Present Konata and past Konata were interchangeable enough for her to not even recognize the differences, if there were any.

"Beauty should be viewed in moderation," a voice cut through her thoughts. "Too much, and it loses its luster."

She blinked, then narrowed her eyes. "Aren't you modest?"

"Not in the slightest!"

Kagami sighed and shook her head. Many ways to express her disappointment came to mind: sighing, rolling her eyes, and facepalming.

Whatever retort she had been planning was forgotten in favor of the aroma of a warm meal. By closing her eyes, she could already imagine the full spread of food on the table—a traditional meal of white rice, chilled tofu, a steaming bowl of soup, and maybe a piece of broiled fish or chicken.

Her imagination had no bounds when it came to food, so there was a considerable difference between the banquet table of expectation and reality. Not to say that the meal was bad; Sojiro could hold his own when it came to working the kitchen.

"I'm sorry it's not much," the chef himself spoke up. "Hopefully, this should be enough to last you two until lunch or an early dinner."

Since Konata's mouth was full of food, she (thankfully) didn't reply. Kagami answered for the both of them, "That's fine. This is about a regular-sized serving anyways, so there's no need for anything more."

"Oh, that's good. I just don't want you girls to start getting hungry before the day is over.. it's really annoying to finish everything, just to feel the urge to eat again later!" Sojiro laughed, obviously having experience in the matter.

Kagami smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Izumi. I appreciate it.." Just as she had finished speaking, she thought of something and many seemingly insignificant observations suddenly started to cascade into place. But her voice was already trailing away, and another one was already claiming the stage.

"Kagamin, when are we gonna leave?" A certain blue-haired girl asked. "We gotta go to your place, right?"

"Hm? Well, yeah.. Let's finish up, and we can leave."

The rest of the meal continued with idle chitchat filling the gaps. Eventually the trio was joined by a fourth, who yawned a greeting as she sat down at the table and adjusted two blue ribbons in her hair. Somehow, Yutaka managed to finish at the same time as the others, even though she had been late.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Once breakfast was finished, it was time to leave the house. Or at least, for two of the four; the pair of high-school graduates wasted no time in tidying up and preparing to leave.

"Thank you again, Izumi-san.. Sojiro-san," Kagami corrected herself. "You've been a great host, and debatably you're a great father as well." Her microaggression did not go unheeded.

"Debatably, huh.." Sojiro wasn't sure if perspiration was rolling down his head or if a tear was rolling down his eye. "I'm glad my daughter has found such a nice girl to spend her life with. Take care of her, and take care of yourself while you're at it!"

"Will do, Sojiro-san."

With that, Sojiro turned expectantly towards his daughter, his hopes written clearly on his face. "And? Do I get to have an emotional moment with my favorite girl in the world?"

"Only if you stop with the cheesy remarks.." Konata heaved an exaggerated sigh, feigning reluctance as she held her arms out for a hug.

"Ah, I'm content with this. I don't need any more in life than being able to see my daughter grow up without me!" He cried in more ways than one, embracing Konata in a warm, mutually enjoyable hug.

"Thanks, Dad. You're the best, but you know that already!" The words were muffled by the cloth of the man's robe. "I'll be back to visit, okay? If you manage to survive the upcoming weeks of loneliness, the precious moments we get to spend together from here on will be even more valuable."

Kagami was taken aback by the formality and depth of her girlfriend's words, but Sojiro just laughed and patted the girl on the back with brimming enthusiasm.

"Breaking out the flowery speech for such an emotional moment, that's my girl. You'll do well, better than me for sure," he said with obvious pride. He released his grip, straightening up from his down-on-one-knee position. "Remember, come and visit, okay?"

"Hey, I can't just leave my hoard unsupervised for that long!" Konata grinned again, holding her hand up in the air like a pledge. "It'll be like I never left!"

Before they turned away, there was one last person to speak their piece; Sojiro moved to the side to allow a tiny, pink-haired figure to scoot past him.

"Bye, Sis! Good luck in university, okay?" Yutaka didn't wait for a reply, instead throwing herself into her pseudo-sister and wrapping her arms around her waist. "Make sure you call and visit and all that!"

"Yeah, I know," Konata smiled, standing at her full height with her head tilted downwards, patting the top of her cousin's head and hugging her gently. Kagami realized that Yutaka would probably be the only person in the world that the bluenette would ever be able to view as her little sister. It was heartwarming to see the bond between the two girls, although she didn't say it aloud.

After a couple seconds, Yutaka broke away from the hug and flashed one last smile at her surrogate big sister before moving on. Before she knew it, Kagami was enveloped in the same clingy hug that her girlfriend had been on the receiving end of just a moment ago.

"You too, Kagami-san! Have fun and study hard, and stay good friends with my sister, okay?" Yutaka asked of her. If the words had been uttered in any other tone, Kagami would've felt like she was being pleaded to by an old housewife.

"I will," she said, with a faint smile. "Konata and I are really close, so I can guarantee that whatever happens, we'll always be together. Be a good girl, and enjoy the rest of your years at the high school. You have your friends, so make some memories with them before you graduate!"

"I will!" The miniature girl repeated, humming as she let go of the embrace.

And suddenly, that was it. A couple more seconds of both parties prolonging the parting with waves and last-minute words passed, until the front door finally closed and separated them.

For a moment, neither Konata nor Kagami had anything to say. Only after spending a minute to themselves, deep in thought, did the former open her mouth.

".. So, this is it, huh?" It was more of a statement than a question. "From now on, I won't be living here anymore."

".. Yep. This is it," Kagami said, not knowing what else she should say. But somehow, it seemed fitting.. or was she just trying to justify her lack of a better response?

Hand in hand, they put their backs to the door and made their way down the path and onto the roads that led to their next stop.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Kagami stopped in front of the door to her house, waiting as the doorbell sounded throughout the halls and rooms. If she listened carefully, she could hear some shuffling as one of her family members, most likely one of her sisters, came to answer.

Until then, she occupied herself with silently watching the otaku at her side, who had been relatively quiet for quite a long time. Konata's cobalt-blue hair framed her face, which bore a neutral, unsmiling expression. Her green eyes, normally fleeting from one spot to the next, were out of focus and fixed on the doorhandle. The girl's jawline shifted left and right, another indication that she was thinking about something important.

Just as she was about to ask, the sound of the door unlocking preceded someone gripping her arm, yanking her inside the house. "H-hey!"

"Welcome back, Kagami!" An all too familiar voice greeted her. It happened to be the same person tugging her along.

"Matsuri, seriously. What the heck," muttered Kagami, resigning to the fact that she would be getting pulled around for a while.

"You too, come here Kona-chan!" Matsuri smiled, grabbing the other girl as well before kicking the door shut and taking her catches to the living room, where the rest of the family was waiting.

"Welcome back, Kagami!" Four voices chorused as she entered: her parents, and her two other sisters who hadn't been delegated to fetch the door.

While she was thinking about how to respond to her family's obviously planned-out greeting, Konata broke in with a wide smile. "Hello! I followed Kagami home."

"Hi Kona-chan!" Tsukasa greeted her, a cup of something or other in her hands.

"Are you done packing, Konata?" Business-before as usual, Inori was quick to get to the point.

Konata nodded her confirmation. "My cousin is moving everything to the dorm, so I'm just waiting around with you guys."

As the two girls sat down next to each other at the table, the father figure of the household smiled and joined in the conversation. "How are you two feeling?"

Under the current conditions, the simple question must have had some sort of hidden meaning, so Kagami took her time thinking about her answer. On the other hand, Konata didn't seem to read too much into it, so she answered when she saw that her girlfriend wouldn't.

"I'm feeling pretty good," she said. "But this is all sort of weird, too.. surreal, I think that's the word."

"I see," Tadao nodded, as if he had been expecting the reply word for word. "That's just fine.. Perfectly normal to feel that way."

"It's never the same as it is in fiction," Miki had been watching quietly until just now. "Drama on television and books isn't totally unrealistic, but things like moving out aren't always like that."

Kagami nodded, making the connection instantaneously. "Yeah, sometimes it just feels like it's been toned down by a lot. What might be a dramatic moment on television could just be something like an awkward silence in real life!"

Translating this to a television drama, the result might have been a deep, emotional moment. Yet true enough, it was simply an awkward silence that formed out of the fact that nobody had anything to say. It also might have been an unspoken conspiracy to mess with Kagami, but that was unlikely..

 _ **What Comes After**_

It had been put off, stalled, procrastinated, and redirected for long enough. After about half an hour of finding excuses to stick around, Kagami and Konata finally felt like it was time to leave.

The entire family had crowded at the door: both parents, all four sisters, and the one close friend. Further down the path, a woman dressed in a turtleneck sweater and casual slacks leaned up against a blue, beetle-shaped car.

Saying goodbye had lasted for no less than ten minutes, since everybody seemed to want a hug and to give their words of encouragement, wisdom, and warning.

Miki scooped both girls into a hug, telling them, "Take care of yourselves! And visit often—you two are welcome in our house any time."

Tadao simply said, "Study hard, and don't forget who you represent," followed by a proud smile and nod of his head.

Matsuri and Inori seemed like they wanted to divulge in every little detail when it came to being a college student. Fortunately, they shared a glance and apparently came to some sort of mutual agreement for the sake of time and maybe something else. Together, they hugged both girls and wished them, "Best of luck!"

Tsukasa was the last to go, but she had the most emotional impact. Seeing the younger twin cry while her sister held her, comforting her, almost brought the Konata Izumi herself to tears. When Konata noticed that the older twin was looking at her, she coughed and turned away, casually bringing a hand up to her eyes.

They stayed like that for a long while—maybe a minute, maybe three—until Tsukasa felt like she had given a proper goodbye. Then she broke away and swiftly moved onto Konata, hugging her with just as much warmth as she had her sister. After another eternity of muffled crying and attempting to say goodbye, it was Inori who gently reminded them, "I think it's about time that you two got going."

"Yeah.. you're right," Konata agreed, her voice starting to shake. Kagami moved closer and put her hands on her still-sobbing sister's shoulders; the girl reluctantly relinquished her hold.

"I'm s-sorry, Sis. I just, just.." Tsukasa forced herself to words, but she couldn't get very far before Miki silently stepped forwards and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulders. Then, she made eye contact with both girls: first her second-youngest daughter, then the blue-haired girl standing next to her.

"It's time, isn't it?" Miki said. She said it with such finality, such certainty, such meaning that it made Kagami feel like the rest of her life was going be—snap!—that easy.

"Yeah. It's time," she nodded. "Are you ready, Konata?"

Konata grinned, her unfazed personality snapping back to its rightful place.

"I'm ready. Let's go.. Cousin Yui is waiting!"

The girl with green eyes held out her hand, waiting. The smile on her face did not waver as Kagami's hand was placed in her own; if anything, it only grew wider.

Hand in hand for the second time that day, together they turned in an about face. Together, they saw the car that would take them to their new lives, and its driver who waved at them in an excited manner. Together, they walked forwards with not a single regret or misgiving in mind.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **We are back and on track. Welcome aboard WCA, please find your seats and enjoy the ride!**

 **It would be best if I tried to keep this one short, but there's a ton of things I have to say and brevity is a virtue.. but not my specialty. Bear with me while I gain momentum; I could've finished in the time I spent thinking about how to start off.**

 **This is the sequel to Lucky Star: Between Two Friends. While writing forementioned story, I looked back through the chapters to help myself remember the tiny details that I myself have forgotten. Still, there's no way that the story is free of plot holes and inconsistencies. I apologize to those of you who were bothered by this, and know that I myself dislike the idea of such imperfections. Recently I feel like I have been writing with considerable more emotional intimacy: two of my other stories, three if you count this one, have helped me out with that. So, I feel like this story is going to be more successful than its predecessor; when I write this story, I will write not with major transformation in mind, but with hope for improvement. I'm going to do my best to make this story even better than its prequel, even better than how it is right now.**

 **This story is to be enjoyed by both parties: the readers and the writer. For you, the readers, to enjoy this story, it needs to be interesting and well written. For me, the writer, to enjoy this story, it needs to be interesting and well written. Since there is one shared desire between both sides, that should infer a symbiotic relationship (and that isn't just a pun on my pen name).**

 **If you have something to say, then say it. I read everything: comments and compliments, feedback and flaming, suggestions and.. you get the point. Unless you're a guest reviewer, you're guaranteed a message with my reply and my personal thoughts. I want this story to be fun, not just for me but for everybody else. When it comes down to it.. I don't shoot anyone down, neither do I dig them out of their casket. Your thoughts—suggestions especially but not explicitly—will be weighed for what they're worth.**

 **All that being said, I'll try to bite-size everything right now:**

 **This story chronically takes place after Between Two Friends, but you don't really need to read that story to read this one. Give me your honest opinions through reviews, and any other unrelated topics can be sent through the private message system. Play Fruit of Grisaia, Fairy Fencer F, and Blade & Soul—wait, no, that's not important right now.**

 **And I think that's it for now. Look forward or don't!**

Sym: How's that for the first author's note of the story? Back in business, ready to roll, back on track, and returning with a vengeance!

Kagami: Was that really necessary?

Sym: Not at all, but there's nothing that would make it unnecessary.

Konata: I can agree with your way of thinking right there..

Kagami: Of course you could!

Sym: You're on the Chapter's End and I'm your host, Sym!

Konata: And this is Konata, the assistant host! Today, the subject of our broadcast is right here with us.. in this very room..

Kagami: Hold on a minute, why am I the object?!

Konata: Never said you were, Kagamin. I was talking about this here slip of paper!

Sym: Yes, yes. Let us move onto the topic at hand before we get derailed, should we not?

Kagami: And who gave you the right to be biased?

Sym: There's no rule against me joining in jokes and mutually consented teasing.

Kagami: Ugh.. you're so frustrating!

Sym: Anyways, there was a slip of paper here, but that's not the main topic either. Actually, there really isn't a topic.. I was just told to, and I quote, "make conversation".

Konata: Oh. So..

Kagami: So, there really isn't a point to us sitting around talking?

Sym: Not really, but it's not like there's anything else to do anyways.

Konata: You know Sym, I've missed your passive aggressiveness.

Kagami: .. I guess I can agree with that.. Not because I enjoy having you around, don't get the wrong idea, but it's just nice to be back.

Sym: I guess I can totally, completely, 100% agree with you on that. With that happy note, let's end it right here.

Sym: Thank you for joining us on the Chapter's End, and I hope that the next will be just as enjoyable! See you in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2: A Change of Place

The entryway into the room was small. A coat rack behind the door prevented it from hitting the wall or the shoes next to it. Only a couple steps past the entrance and then the hardwood floor was almost entirely covered by light-brown carpet that was pleasantly soft. The walls and ceiling were painted pure white. Definitely a plain color palette, but it was easy on the eyes. A window directly opposite of the entrance allowed for light to shine inwards; the window happened to be facing the east, so sunlight would be able to beam into the room in the mornings. Even though it was designated as a two-person lodging the room was still quite small, and hard to imagine as having enough space for more than one person to live comfortably in.

The apparent size might have been affected by its furnishings, which were thankfully standard-issue items that came along with the room; there was no need to get new furniture, which wasn't unordinary but still a nice thing. Against the wall on one side of the room was a bunk bed with lightly colored blue-and-gray covers and white, cushiony pillows. In the corner next to it was a large oaken desk complete with a rolling chair that looked to be twice as big as it needed to be. All of the storage cabinets and containers mounted above the desk—leaving about a meter and a half of space, of course—were empty, and they were the perfect place to display a neat collection of pocket-sized items. A low table in the center of the room was set with a couple basic commodities: some bottles of water, snacks, and two handbooks detailing various things.

Bookshelves, tables, and other such pieces filled in the other corner of the room (or rather, to be more specific _a_ bookshelf and _a_ table). There was only one wardrobe, but there was no need for either of the occupants to have more than a week's worth of clothes at once in the first place. Although the room was definitely conservative, it seemed to be fitted with the necessities. Not to be forgotten, a slightly ajar door caught Kagami's attention; beyond it was the bathroom, which easily had more significance than any amount of nice-looking furniture. More important things (arguable, but Kagami really didn't care to argue about it), like the minimalist's kitchenette in the corner, had Konata's attention immediately.

"Whoa!" She shouted, abandoning her luggage and rushing over to check it out. In a blink, she was exploring what was already her favorite part about this whole deal. "There's cabinet space here, and there's a mini fridge! We even have this super tiny stove-oven thing!" Of course, it wasn't a fully decked-out arsenal yet; the chef's corner was still missing smaller appliances. For example, there wasn't a microwave, a coffee brewer, or any utensils at all.

"Hey, don't just leave your stuff in the middle of the hallway!" The scolding went unnoticed, and the scolder sighed. She glared at her companion's back, lowering her voice to a dangerous tone. "Konata.."

"I know, I know, but this is so cool!" The blue-haired, green-eyed girl reluctantly closed the refrigerator door and left the kitchen alone. "We have to live here for four years, so we need to adjust! The first thing we need to do is familiarize ourselves with our surroundings, and learn about tactical locations, like emergency escape routes or potential—"

"That kind of knowledge is never going to be useful," Kagami said. She shook her head and sighed. "Can you just help out?"

Konata mimicked her younger friend exactly; she sighed, shook her head, and even spoke in the very same exasperated tone. "Yes, yes. Such impertinence. For a servant, you are surprisingly inept at what you do." In response, the servant raised a hand and smacked Konata in the head.

"Just help me unpack."

"Yes, Kagamin."

They went to work with motive and enthusiasm, throwing open their bags and putting things in their place. Clothes went into the shared wardrobe—Kagami got the top drawers, and Konata took the bottom row.

"Kagami, please resist the urge to look through my clothes while I'm not looking."

"Speak for yourself, much?"

The desk space was left empty, because it would eventually be used for keeping the computers, textbooks, and other desktop utilities. The overhead space, however, was distributed between the two girls and quickly filled with all sorts of personal belongings.

"Oh! I didn't know you owned anything like that," Konata said. Tracing her line of sight, Kagami was instantly on the defensive.

"And so what if I do? A girl is allowed to keep what she wants, right?" She rebuked, crossing her arms. "Anyways, I'm not at all surprised that you brought nothing but anime merchandise."

"You've got it all wrong, Kagami, this stuff is _all_ important."

"Yeah, yeah."

A couple books were unboxed and placed on the shelf. Sentimental-value belongings like pictures were taken and placed on any flat surface that looked bare. With the addition of decorations and mementos, the room felt less foreign and more like a home away from home.

"Hey, Konata, can I put this here?" Kagami pointed at an empty spot on top of the wardrobe.

"Uh.. sure, but try to find somewhere else for that. I have something else planned for there."

"Well.. okay," she relented, a little disappointed.

Within about two hours, the unpacking was finished. Their empty suitcases were left where they were, and both girls dropped onto the bed with relieved sighs.

"We're done for now," Kagami said, stretching her whole body out.

"Yep," agreed Konata. "Until Cousin Yui gets here with the rest of the stuff, we have time to relax."

Yui, being one of the few people Konata and Kagami knew to own a car, had happily agreed to help move some of the larger, clunkier things over to the new place. The "shipment" consisted of both things from Kagami's room and things from Konata's room—mostly things like the computers, alarm clocks, and wall-mounted decorations that wouldn't have been convenient to carry on the commute to the university.

"Kagami!" Green eyes rolled over to face the other person. "Can I be on top?"

"Huh? W-wait, what?!" A faint blush coated Kagami's face.

"Can I have the top bunk?" Konata repeated, elaborating on her original request.

Silenced out of embarrassment, the teenager with light-purple hair and bluish-purple eyes glared at her friend before rolling over.

"Yes. You can have it," she said with just a smidge of venom.

"Yay! Thanks!" Apparently indifferent to her suffering, Konata grinned at the back of her girlfriend's head. Although she was turned away, Kagami could almost sense the expression. Unsure if the teasing was intended or not, she didn't care to ask.

They lied on the bed for a couple minutes, looking up at the roof under the roof. Bunk beds had a nice, cozy feeling. At least, that's how Kagami felt about them. Konata felt the same way; sleeping knowing there was someone above or below was almost as comfortable as sleeping with them.

"Hey, are we actually going to use the top bunk anyways?" Konata asked suddenly, a mischievous gleam entering her eyes. "See, 'cause, you know.."

"Yes, you are," Kagami cut her off before she could continue. "As much as I enjoy letting you invade my privacy, at least give me about half of the week to spend with myself."

"Tch. Worth a try."

"I suppose it was."

Konata sat up using her hands, then just looked around the room without comment. A little surprised by this action, Kagami did the same.

"We actually made it, huh," Konata said, half to herself. The awe in her voice caused Kagami to give her a second glance before nodding.

"Yeah. It's a little hard to believe.. Both of us got into this university, and now we share the same dorm room. What are the chances of that?" She shook her head slowly, a wry smile on her lips.

"Heh. Pretty low, but that just makes it all the more amazing," Konata replied. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes; they just sat together in companionable silence.

"Hey, Kagami.." After a while, Konata spoke up in a quiet voice. Her hand moved to rest on her friend's. "I.. well, thanks."

More than a little surprised by the spontaneous apology, Kagami's eyebrows arched upward, then Konata continued.

"Er.. these last few years have been really great. I mean, when I transferred into Ryōō, I never expected to meet you, Tsukasa, or Miyuki. It's all felt like a dream.. having friends and family, and that somehow we've ended up dating. I never would have expected my life to be like this; it's all sort of too good to be true. I just wanted to say thanks, because you guys are the best and I don't regret meeting you guys, ever."

Kagami listened to the whole story without a word. When she sensed that Konata was finished, she squeezed the hand on top of hers.

"Listen to you, getting all emotional all of a sudden," she laughed, but in a fond way and not mockingly. "I can't say I have as much of an important backstory as you, but I feel the same way. Meeting you has been one of the highlights of my life, and I hope that what we have will last for the rest of our lives."

"Kagami.." Konata stared at the taller girl. An overjoyed smile grew on her face, and she leaned forwards and gave Kagami a tight hug, which was returned without hesitation. "Thanks.. I really appreciate it."

With that, the taller out of the two gave the shorter a kiss on the top of her head. As Kagami held the girl close to her, she was overcome by a wave of emotion, maybe the same feeling that affected Konata. There they were, starting a new life in a new place, not too far from home. They would walk the same path together with their hands intertwined. It was an ideal outcome; to Kagami, it was nothing short of perfection.

The moment lasted for minutes, but time was a thing of little importance. Nothing went on between the two of them but idle comments about whatever came to mind. As far as physical contact went, neither of them wanted to go too far; holding hands, hugging, and a little bit of cuddling was all they did.

"The rest of our stuff isn't going to be here for a while," Konata brought up. "Maybe we should do something?"

Kagami nodded absentmindedly. She rose to her feet, helping the older girl up at the same time. Then the thought crossed her mind to ask, "What are we going to do?"

"I dunno," was Konata's only reply. After a moment of silence, she shrugged. "Let's go explore! We can go onto the school campus, right? And we can go out to the city and see where all the shops are and stuff!"

"That's not a bad idea. The campus should be open, and I do want to check out our surroundings," Kagami smiled, then immediately started getting ready.

Only after a couple of minutes, Kagami was waiting by the door. Konata had yet to join her, so she waited. In another minute, the girl had come out of the bathroom and was now scurrying about, putting things into the bag she wore over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kagami watched as Konata packed. "Do you really need all that stuff?"

"Money, water, tissues, portable gaming console," Konata said out loud, evasively answering the question. "Flashlight, medikit, biohazard suit, lighter, pocket knife, revolver.."

Instead of further pressing her girlfriend's odd actions, Kagami just shook her head and continued to wait, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. _"Everything after 'portable gaming console' is a lie.. right?"_

When Konata joined her at the door, they left the room and used her key to lock up before heading for the outside world. They passed the time by talking as they toured the campus.

"Pretty nice place, huh?" Konata commented, looking around.

"Yeah. Since this is a popular university, they would have put a lot of money into aesthetics," Kagami said.

Although they would live in the same room and attend the same school, they didn't have all of their classes in common. They shared three courses, but for the rest they'd be separated.

"Ah, what a shame. Now I can only bother you for half of the day."

"More like ninety percent. Unfortunately, I'm stuck living in the same room as you."

"That's funny! I know you're joking. Right?"

".. Right."

After spending about twenty minutes exploring the school campus, Konata took the initiative by grabbing Kagami's hand and pulling her along. "Kagamin, it's time to leave the safe zone! I wanna check out the rest of the area!"

"Safe zone? This isn't one of your MMO games," Kagami muttered, but didn't complain otherwise. "I hope you know where you're going. Do you have a map or something?"

"Nah, there's no need. I have an excellent memory!" Konata snickered to herself.

"All that effort to pack your 'kit' earlier, and you don't even have a map," sighed Kagami. "Your priorities are all in the wrong place."

Fortunately, Konata wasn't lying about there being no need for a map—it was like everything was imprinted in her memory. She pointed out places of interest and listed restaurants, stores, and parks. Kagami felt like the roles had been reversed; instead of her being the navigator, it was now Konata who knew the lay of the land.

"Just how much research did you do before coming here?" Surprised by a particularly detailed display of knowledge about the nearby chain of grocery markets, Kagami looked at the petite girl in awe. "Seriously, it's like you've lived here for years!"

"Call it dedication," Konata grinned. "Or call it dedication."

"Either way, you're pretty amazing. Too bad you can't put this much effort into other things, like studying."

"Kagami, let's get something to eat!" As usual, the girl with cobalt hair was quick to change the topic. "We have plenty of time, am I right? Of course I am. Let's kill some hours with a night on the town!"

Shaking her head at the melodramatic words, Kagami sighed in false exasperation. "Do whatever you want," she said, letting Konata grab her hand and take the lead.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Sojiro leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms over his head, grunting as he did so. He rolled his shoulders backwards and forwards, touching his ear to his shoulder on one side, then the other.

"I wonder, why did I ever become a writer?" A resentful sigh left his lips as he stood up. His chair spun lazily in an attempt to right itself from nearly being tipped over. Making his way downstairs, gripping the handrail, he headed for the kitchen.

Tap water poured into a glass, filling it to a third of its volume. Two small, orange bottles on the counter clattered as Sojiro unscrewed the lid and poured out a pill from each. Taking a deep breath, he sipped at the water before popping both pills into his mouth and forcing them down. Downing the rest of his glass in a single swig, he grimaced at the taste.

"Foul.." He muttered, swallowing to remove the taste from his mouth. The glass was quickly rinsed before being dropped into the dish rack. Striding over to the fridge, he opened the door and pulled out a small prepackaged cup of yogurt. He peeled off the lid, discarded it, then grabbed a tiny silver spoon and dug in.

"Somehow, I feel old," Sojiro sighed, giving both the yogurt and the medication a condemning look. "Hrm.. Maybe it's just because Konata isn't here."

That's right. His daughter had moved out, so the house was left to himself and his niece, Yutaka. As a result, certain feelings of old age and loneliness were starting to encroach on his personal space. It was only really Konata that helped him to ignore the presence of his aging body and soul. "I guess the responsibility of raising children really does push us past our limits, doesn't it?"

Propped up against the counter, Sojiro tilted his head upwards and smiled. Heaving a huge sigh, he suddenly felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. "Hey, Kanata. It's been a while since I've spoke to you, hasn't it? Sorry, I've been feeling a bit distracted lately."

The spoon dipped back into the plastic cup. "You already know this, and probably a lot of other things, but Konata just headed out to college. She's matured a lot as the years have gone on, but that goes without saying. It's just that when I look at her, I see.. I see a girl from a couple years back, but I can't recognize the girl I see.

"As for me.. I don't really know. I may not be a mother, but I think I sort of know how you must feel; sometimes the only thing keeping you going is your kid, right?" A sardonic grin crossed his face. "Konata was my lantern in the snowstorm. Now that she isn't here, I think I may freeze." He finished his snack and threw away the empty container.

He paused at the foot of the stairs leading to the second story. His hand hovered above the rail. Before he took the first step up, he wanted to say one last thing. "Kanata.." He started. "I could apologize for this, but I won't, because I think you feel the same way about this.

"I can't join you just yet, my dear Kanata," he said. The words gave him confidence; he repeated himself, louder this time. "Don't worry. I won't come to see you for a while. I love you, but I haven't forgotten the promise I made that day, almost eighteen years ago."

Sojiro nodded, pride in his eyes. "I still have to take care of my daughter. Even if I have to challenge death itself, I'll do whatever I can for Konata."

And with that, he lifted his foot and ascended the staircase, the fire that was his determination start to rekindle, melting away the snow that was trying to extinguish it.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Yui craned her neck to see around the stack of cardboard boxes in her arms. After checking the door number to make sure it matched the one she was looking for, she sighed with relief and hastily set her cargo down.

"I know it's just the second story, but I feel like I just had one of those endless staircase moments!" She groaned, placing her hands on her hips and arching her back forwards.

"It really was only two flights of stairs, Yui." Sojiro sighed as well, but for a different reason. "But I guess you aren't used to all this sort of heavy lifting, so that's understandable."

"Heavy lifting for sure! These boxes are so damn heavy, what the heck is in them?" She kicked at the bigger of the two she had been carrying. It didn't move an inch.

"Let's see.. computers, decorations, and Konata's collection. Otherwise, I can't say I know for sure," Sojiro said. He stretched his arms and his back, but it was only a customary gesture; surprisingly, he wasn't too sore from the transport.

"Eh, lucky you. Old, but still in better shape than I am," Yui teased him with a glance.

"Don't call me old. You may still be in your twenties, but you'll feel like I do someday," he retorted. "Call it a father's pride and determination to do whatever he can for his daughter."

"Yeah, I believe that. After hearing stories about how loving your family leads to longer lives and stuff, it isn't hard to believe."

Sojiro saw his niece often, but it was rare that they shared a conversation like this. Of course, it was hardly able to be called private when strangers would pass them in the hallway every now and then, but they weren't talking about anything overly intimate. After all, Yui was married and Sojjiro was loyal—and legal. So, they chatted about general topics and simple things that came to mind. Neither of them mentioned the reason for their excursion, which was to assist their younger relative's residency change.

Unfortunately, they seemed to be in for a little bit of waiting. Earlier, Sojiro had texted his daughter that he and Yui would be arriving, but she had replied with something like, "Okay, we'll be back at the apartment in maybe half an hour or so." As a result, the two of them had been postponed for an indefinite amount of time. Not a problem, since he had Yui to keep him company, but it was still a bit of a hindrance. The time passed without acknowledgement

"I can't believe they get us to lug all this junk over to their new place, and now they're making us wait while they play around." Yui complained. Her expression didn't seem to match her words. Rather than annoyance or boredom showing on her face, she looked satisfied—sly, almost.

"Ah, it's fine. They're finally done with high school and now they're starting college. Everything is going pretty smoothly too, so I would expect them to be high on life for at least a couple days until that novelty feeling wears off," chuckled Sojiro. It was understandable that the entire situation went right to their heads; any big change in one's life, such as this one, would be a lot to take in. An overwhelming sense of freedom came with the beginning of an independent life away from home. "I know exactly how they feel, myself."

"Oh, yeah. I've been meaning to ask you," Yui jumped at the chance. "Did you attend college, or what did you do after high school?"

"I did," he nodded. Unmasked emotions showed on his face as he thought back to that time. "It wasn't any place like this, but it was something. For sure, my school wasn't as nice as this one. Instead of living in the dorms, I stayed in an apartment a ten-minute train ride away, and I was usually pretty busy with my studies and jobs. At the time, I was writing one of my first books, and I was proud of that so I devoted myself to working on it."

"Pardon my interruption, but was there something wrong with the dorm rooms?"

"No, they were just fine. The reason I stayed in the apartment was because of some weird history between the landlord and my father. I still don't know and don't want to know what was up with that, but she was welcoming and let me stay for cheap. And living by myself meant that Kanata could visit me freely, and at the time she was probably the only thing keeping me going." Sojiro's expression changed to a smirk. "Plus, I had some really obnoxious friends. It would've been hard to focus living anywhere near those guys."

"Wow. You actually have a pretty suave background. It makes you sound a lot younger than you really are."

Sojiro shook his head. "Hey, watch it with the old age jokes. I have feelings too."

In time, a pair of familiar faces turned the corner, and hugs and pleasantries were exchanged. Accepting the invitation to come in, Sojiro scanned the room with an appraising eye.

"This is pretty nice. Looks like you guys are already settled in, huh?" He noticed the shelf full of figurines and merchandise items, which brought a smile to his face.

"Yep! We just need to get the computers set up and maybe hang a couple of paintings or whatever, then we're good to go," said Konata. She relocated to the kitchen corner of the room. "And I need to outfit this little mini kitchen with some good gear before I can actually use it, then I can make food!"

"That's so cool!" Yui was clearly impressed. "This place is like a tiny apartment. I can't believe all the rooms have working kitchens, that's amazing!"

"Not every room," Konata corrected her. "Just the doubles."

"Well, whatever. You got into a good school, that's all that matters." Yui placed a hand on her younger cousin's shoulder, smiling. "Hope you guys have fun! Don't get into too much trouble, now. It may be tempting, but make sure you make responsible choices!"

The younger girl nodded her thanks, and Yui left, leaving Sojiro behind with the two. He was silent for a little while, glancing about the room and at the girls every now and then. It wasn't long before he spoke.

His eyes rested on Kagami, letting her know he was directing his question to her. "College, huh? You're going to be living on your own as of today. I know it's easy to visit, but how does it feel knowing your parents will be a prefecture away?"

"Hahah.. sort of lonely, when you say it like that," Kagami laughed. "But you said so yourself, we're close enough to visit. Plus, I've got this thing to keep me company." She put an arm on the shoulders of the girl standing at her side, giving her a sideways hug.

"What am I, your stuffed animal?" Konata stuck out her bottom lip.

"That's right. You're _my_ stuffed animal. I know you'll be here for me, won't you?" The taller girl put a hand on top of her friend's head, smiling as Konata pouted.

"Pfft. Yeah, yeah, sure."

Sojiro chuckled at his daughter's reaction. "Heh, and you two get along so well. Konata, where's the tsundere you were telling me about?"

The "tsundere" blushed and averted her eyes, but all three broke out into laughter. After that, the conversation seemed to come out naturally; they talked casually about one thing, then the next, hopping from idle chitchat to serious topics until Sojiro felt it was time to make his departure. With a smile and a wave, a hug from his daughter and one for her girlfriend, and a final word of farewell, he did so knowing they were in good hands—intertwined, ready to pull the other back up to their feet when they fell.

 _"This feeling.. I could write a book from the way I feel right now."_ Sojiro thought to himself, a spark in his eyes. _"For once, I think I already know what the title would be."_

Pride showed plainly on his features as he closed the door behind him and walked toward the staircase.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **It only took twenty three days for an update! Yeah, yeah, my apologies. I'm trying to divide attention between five stories, one of them being an original novel that I _really_ felt inspired to write yesterday. Seriously, I was thinking about it all night and during school, but as soon as I get home I start playing video games (because procrastination). Even now, I'm watching a stream while I should be watching this. Ugh.. I'm terrible!**

 **Anyways, I'm sorry for the incredibly delayed updates. Lots of things going on at once, and I'm just lazy. I'm feeling pretty good about writing the next chapter of my next story. Please leave a review if you have feedback, compliments or criticism, and PM me about anything unrelated to the story! Follow for notifications on new chapters, but don't expect any for at least a month.. haha.. That's about it, so I'm out!**

Sym: Oh, so the author was watching that stream too? So was I! I know how he felt; as much as I wanted to get my work done, I couldn't tear my eyes off of the stream. Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!

Sojiro: Ah, procrastination. It's almost as bad as forgetfulness.

Sym: And before we forget, I do have a question for you, Sojiro. May I?

Sojiro: Go ahead.

Sym: You took some pills earlier in the chapter. What do you need medication for?

Sojiro: Ah, those. Recently, I had surgery to remove my wisdom teeth, so I'm on antibiotics and painkillers for a little bit. They really do taste terrible, you know? If they even slightly touch my tongue, I won't be able to get rid of the taste for at least five minutes.

Sym: Yuck, that's unfortunate. I know the feeling, taking pills can be so disgusting sometimes. Usually I get the liquid-filled pills though, and for me those are pretty much tasteless and easy to swallow.

Sojiro: The ones I have are not designed to be pleasant. Once, they actually stuck to my tongue and I knocked the container over and spilled them onto the floor because I almost choked!

Sym: And another time, I forgot to take one of mine in the morning and I was worrying about it all day at work! They're such a pain in the ass, honestly!

Sojiro: I know how you feel. That happened to me before, and I was drinking water and rinsing my mouth all day hoping I hadn't messed up really badly.

Sym: As much as I would love to continue chatting with you about the terror of pills and hygiene, I'm afraid we can't go on for too long. So, Sojiro, it was fun but now I must bid you adieu.

Sojiro: Adios, sayonara, and farewell, my friend.

Sym: See you in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3: A Well-Spent Sunday Morning

When Kagami woke up, it was bright enough to see but not enough to hurt her eyes. She felt completely awake and fully rested, a result of a natural awakening after a night of undisturbed sleep. This sort of perfect timing usually happened on weekends, maybe a side effect of her earlier bedtime, and the irony of it did not fail to bring a smile to her face. Even though she was an avid student who took great care and placed pride in her studies, the thought that her body disagreed with waking up for school was always amusing.

A small body was huddled next to her, so close that any nearer and they would be on top of each other. Doing her best not to disturb the still-sleeping girl, Kagami lifted Konata off of herself, then pushed strands of blue hair out of the girl's face. _"Even though she seems more like the type to wake early and sleep late, she might be more like me in this respect,"_ she mused to herself, smiling at the sight of the calm expression on her girlfriend's face. She undid Konata's grip on her shirt—she had probably served as a substitute for whatever else the otaku usually hugged while sleeping—and swung herself out of bed, heading for the washroom.

Out of curiosity, she stopped and looked back at the bed where Konata was sleeping. The top bunk was unoccupied, but the covers had been thrown back like someone had been using it. Her blue-haired friend, now curled up on her side, must have made the switch during the night. _"Not that I really mind,"_ Kagami admitted to herself. The two of them were close enough to be fine with sleeping in the same bed, and she realized that she actually enjoyed doing so.

Konata's characteristic blue hair was sprawled out behind and underneath her. Upon closer inspection, Kagami saw that it was frizzy and a little messy, but otherwise it was in good condition. "No case of bedhead, huh? I'm jealous," Kagami sighed and made for the bathroom to wash up.

While she rinsed her face and brushed her hair in the unfamiliar but not uncomfortable space, she took a moment to take in all of the things that had changed within the past twenty-four hours. The first, and most notable, was that she was no longer living in the household where she had been raised; rather, she had woken up in her college dormitory, where she and Konata would be living for several years. That meant she would no longer be able to see her family on a daily basis, nor would she be able to turn to them for counsel and assistance without planning ahead a day in advance. _"It's sort of lonely, but at the same time it feels a little exciting..."_

By the time she had finished her morning routine, her room mate was still asleep. Since there was nothing else to do, Kagami sat down on the bed and waited, letting her feet sway back and forth. Her memory was jogged when she accidentally kicked something hidden under the bed, and she got down on her knees to pull it out from underneath.

"I forgot about these," she muttered as a sizable cardboard box came into the open. After Konata's cousin and father had left, the packages they brought had been stored under the bed's lower bunk to be unboxed later. Now that it was morning, and it would be better to do something instead of sit around and wait for someone to wake up, Kagami unsealed the containers and looked through the contents: books from her shelf at home, some decorations and pictures, and two computers packed neatly in bubble wrap. All of her possesions were accounted for, so that meant the fourth and final box would be filled with things that belonged to a certain other girl in the same room.

Taking off the tape and peering inside the box, Kagami immediately knew why it was the second largest. It was a little annoying to open the box and see that it was stuffed with manga and anime-related items, but she knew that it was unreasonable to ask an enthusiast of Konata's caliber to surrender without taking at least a small portion of her collection with her. She could only be thankful that her friend had enough restrain to leave the rest in the care of the elder Izumi.

The other boxes went back underneath the bed; they would remain there until one of the two decided it was time to finish off the unpacking. Before she slid Konata's box back to its hiding place, Kagami was overcome with curiosity to look at the things her room mate had deemed important. She did not remove anything from the storage cube, but she did displace a stack of books to read some of the titles on the spines.

Her inspection was interrupted by a movement in the corner of Kagami's eye, one that she identified as Konata starting to wake up. Hurriedly, she replaced the stack of manga and shoved the box back under the bed before standing up and meeting the eyes of the girl sitting on the bed.

"Hey, Konata. Good morning," Kagami nodded. Green eyes blinked lazily as Konata returned the greeting with a smile.

"Morning, Kagami..." Konata mumbled and swung her legs out of bed, standing up slowly. "Are we still going today?"

"Yeah. Why don't you go get ready?" At Kagami's suggestion, the sleepy girl nodded and made her way to the washroom.

About half an hour later, Konata was in full wakefulness, and they had both changed into comfortable clothes. Their attire was nothing special; for Konata, it was simply a sweater on top of a shirt and pants that did not clash; for Kagami, the pants had been replaced by a knee-length skirt. There was no need to dress formally when the destination was a high school on a Sunday morning, after all.

"Where are we going first?" Konata sidled up to her girlfriend's side and pressed up against the taller, steadier girl. In response, Kagami pushed back so that she herself would not fall over, and changed her pace to accomodate for the added weight. Somehow, they managed to find a balance and keep walking, one leaning on the other.

"The four of us are plan to meet up at the high school," she said. "Nanako is going to be there too."

"Nanako?" Konata's eyebrows came together, but a moment later they went up in surprise. "Oh, you mean Kuroi-sensei?"

"Obviously. You shouldn't forget your teacher's name," Kagami said with a smirk. She placed a hand on the shorter girl's head and shook it side to side like she always did to mock Konata. Although she did protest, Konata could not hide her wide smile.

"It feels really weird, to call her that... Nanako..." Her voice trailed off and she hummed thoughtfully. A second later, the pensiveness in her face vanished and she was, once again, all smiles. To Kagami, it looked like part of her friend still was not ready to let go of her habits of addressing her instructor with honorifics.

"Well, I sort of get what you mean," she nodded. Konata watched her expectantly, seeing that she was not finished speaking. "Being on a first-name basis with your teacher almost feels wrong. Not in a bad way, but it's just a little strange—especially after those three years of calling them by their surname."

Soon after the graduation ceremony at Ryōō high school, the teacher of class 3–B had made a short congratulatory speech to the new young adults. She had wrapped up her pep talk by telling her students they had the alternative to use her first name if they ever conversed in the future—Nanako Kuroi, without a title. Although she had spent her time in high school with a different teacher, Kagami felt that the offer was extended to her as well. With all the time she had spent in the woman's class, she had gotten to know the blonde teacher well, maybe even better than some of those who were actually had her as a homeroom teacher. However, the one person who definitely knew Nanako better than herself had to be Konata.

During their exchanges as passionate video game players, the teacher and student had oftentimes referred to each other by their online usernames: "Nanakon" and "KonaKona". Both were slight variations, almost identical, of the owner's actual name; this was a little confusing to Kagami, as a shift of a couple syllables really was not much of a change.

They left campus and went to the train station to wait for the next vehicle. Whatever came to mind was turned into a conversation topic, and that was how the pair passed the time while they waited for and on the train. Roughly twenty minutes later, they disembarked and walked the rest of the distance to their destination, where they were supposed to meet up with their friends.

"Hey, everybody is already here," Konata pointed out the group of people waiting in front of the otherwise deserted school grounds. "Misakichi and Ayano are here too!"

"Oh, you're right. It looks like they've already seen us," Kagami stated, waving as one of the figures broke away from the group to run toward them. Once within shouting distance, the brown-haired girl called out to them with more excitement than necessary.

"Hiiragi! It's been years!"

"Zero years and a month," retorted the one called Hiiragi. Regardless, she raised her hand and returned the proffered high five. "How've you been, Misao?"

The brunette just shrugged. "Meh," was all she had to say. Instead of falling into step alongside them, she backpedaled in front until a pair of hands placed on her shoulders stopped her.

"Be careful Kusakabe," the person standing behind her sighed. "Wouldn't want you bumping into me, now."

"Uh... Sorry?" Misao sounded unsure of whether or not to apologize after she saw the grin on Nanako's face. The blonde-haired woman laughed and stepped out from behind Misao to intercept Konata, pulling the girl into a headlock.

"Back for more, Izumi? College life's already no good for you?" The blue-headed girl struggled in her grip for a second before managing to slip out of the hold. They grinned at each other like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Weren't you going to start using first names?" Kagami asked before Konata could respond and start another off-topic conversation. Nanako looked at her in surprise and faltered briefly.

"Ah... ah." Her mouth opened and closed again, like she was fishing for words in a tiny pond. "I'm still getting used to it! Plus, I need to differentiate myself from my students. None of you are on the same level as I am, so it's important that I make sure none of you forget that!"

Konata interrupted her teacher and pointed a finger. "Objection! You just feel awkward because of the age difference, don't you?" Her accusation must have had some truth to it, because the older woman blanched at the conjecture before frowning and crossing her arms.

"What the heck? Just out of high school and you're already taking potshots at me?" She rolled her eyes, making a flippant gesture with the hand that was not on her hip. "I'm still technically above you, so show some respect."

While blue and blonde had their chat, Kagami made a beeline for the person she had wanted to see the most out of the five. Her sister must have felt the same way, something that was suggested by the intensity with which she moved to hug the elder twin. Although Tsukasa was clearly the happiest out of all of them, Miyuki and Ayano met her with big smiles and friendly hugs. The other three—Konata, Misao, and Nanako—joined in as well, completing the circle of seven. Greetings lasted only a couple seconds each, as everybody could sense the others' eagerness to get moving. It was bright, and none of them had eaten breakfast yet.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Lunch was to be held in a casual, nearby restaurant, a familiar location that held a sense of nostalgia for the group (even though it had not been that long since any of them had last been there). While they walked, they talked about everything: this and that, their families and themselves. A smile had been fixed on Konata's face for almost the entire time, but it was quickly replaced when she glanced at Nanako. Without drawing too much attention to herself, she approached her teacher and reached out to tap the woman's shoulder, absently noting that she was still a good foot shorter.

Nanako's body tensed at the touch, but it relaxed when she turned around and realized who the hand belonged to. "Oh, Izumi," she exhaled in relief. "It's just you..."

"Yeah. Just me." Konata gave her a small smile. She did not say anything else, instead choosing to walk silently at her former instructor's side for a while. The chatter of the other girls reached their ears—a sign that, while they were traveling in a group, whatever they said would be between them, and them alone. When Konata spoke again, she simply did what most would do and asked if there was anything on her teacher's mind. However, Nanako just shook her head and stared ahead, at the ground where her foot would land in two steps. Her attempt to brush it off was insubstantial; Konata was determined to find out what was wrong. "You don't look like you're 'perfectly fine' to me."

Nanako turned her head, meeting the girl's green eyes for the second time that day. Although she ought to have been annoyed at Konata's inquiring, a weak smile said otherwise. "What, now I'm stuck with having you to try and comfort me? I expected you to start prying into my personal life at some point, but I didn't think it would be this early." A look of disbelief crossed Konata's features.

"What have I done to deserve such ingratitude?" A haughty sigh followed her words, as well as a flick of her blue hair. "I only want to give value to someone whom I respect."

"I know, I know," Nanako laughed and pushed Konata's shoulder in a joking manner. "Thanks, I appreciate the thought." On her face was a disarming grin, but a pair of dark green eyes met her own and matched the expression easily. They kept walking, now in silence, and their footsteps sounded sharper and louder after that exchange. Nanako's eyes stayed on the ground in front of her; in her peripheral vision, Konata's head was turned and facing the same direction: forwards.

She stepped into the restaurant, nodding her gratitude to Misao, who stood in front of the door with a pleased expression. While the others gathered in the center of the room so as not to disturb the patrons sitting in the benches around the reception room, she took up a place by the wall. She did not miss the smudge of blue as it settled into the corner of her vision, a constant reminder of how frustratingly persistent her ex-student could be. The longer she left the question unanswered, the more pressure the younger girl put on her. On one hand, she could not believe that it was Konata of all people to literally and metaphorically back her into a corner, but at the same time she was glad for the genuine concern that was being shown. It made her feel a little warm inside, knowing that one of her students and rivals, fresh out of school and a lot less experienced than she, cared enough to press the issue this much.

"Alright, what do you want?" Finally giving in to the silent urging, she breathed out heavily as if exasperated. Having instantly seen through the ruse, Konata just grinned at her.

"You make it sound like I'm bothering you." One of her eyebrows went up. "Am I?"

"You aren't, but..." Nanako paused and shifted her jaw. "Why do you care so much? It's not like there's a lot to it besides my being a little tired. It really isn't anything to worry about."

Konata only had to repeat what she had said earlier. "Plus, you had this really out-of-it look on your face while we were walking."

"Ah, I... I don't really know what I need to explain, really." Nanako inclined her head and turned toward Konata. "What do you mean, out of it?" At the question, the girl had to stop and think for a while.

After about ten seconds of thought, Konata had readied her reply. "You looked lonely, almost. Sort of like the way some people get when they think of something really good, but everybody else is busy talking to different people to pay attention."

She shook her head. The guess was slightly off the mark, but there was a smidge of truth to it. "Lonely? I'm lonely?" She had been a little surprised when Konata had said it, but she started to realize that it might be more accurate than she had originally given credit for.

The bearer of two calm, seemingly unblinking eyes watched Nanako. "Do you have any memories? About your personal life?" The query was answered with a nod. "What were they? Was it anything traumatic, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Funny how people always ask permission second." The irony of the words brought a quick smirk to Nanako's face. "I don't mind. I was just thinking, about my own college years, and my friends. Seeing the six of you get together was probably what set it off. I was as close to my friends as you are to yours, although we aren't that close anymore. Actually, me and you are more alike than you think; I was the entertainment junkie among my friends, although I didn't screw around as much as you do." Again, she smirked, but this time at Konata's expense. After a second's pause, she continued.

"It's only been a month, and you and your buddies are already meeting up and going out together. Try to keep that record. Don't lose track of your friends." At her advice, Konata nodded seriously.

"I'm not planning to. I've accumulated a lot of debt over just three years," she grinned and stuck her thumb into the air. "I could spend a lifetime with them, and even then I wouldn't have paid it back!"

To say that Nanako wasn't warmed by the display of loyalty would have been incorrect. In fact, the instantaneousness of the declaration had kindled a sense of respect for the shorter-than-average young adult. For Konata, the relationship she shared with her friends, combined with her character and mindset, would keep them bound together for hopefully forever. At the very least, it would prevent a repeat of what had happened to herself and the friends she had hung out with in high school. Not once after graduating had they all been at the same place at the same time. It still bothered her to this day; if she would just step up and call the numbers she had been given, there was a chance that she and three familiar faces, whom she could still not bring herself to forget, could meet for the first time in over a decade.

What stopped her from dialing those numbers was fear, irrational fear—that she would not be remembered, that she would not be welcomed, that she would no longer be someone that her high-school friends cared for.

A waiter called on their group and began to direct them to their table. Nanako did not follow immediately, and her feet did not move until a hand pulled on her sleeve. She looked at Konata, meeting her eyes and matching her smile. The last person out of the seven, for the head of blue hair was already walking on ahead of her, she allowed herself a smile and a quiet laugh. She could shelf her own sentiments for now. Maybe later, she would finally muster up the courage to pull out the slip of paper she had hidden inside her phonebook. But for now, she did not want to bring up her own issues on a day meant for her students. This was not her story, anyway; she could solve her problems another time, when it would not cut into the precious time she had been given to spend with the group of teenagers.

 _"A month out of high school, and the student is already teaching the teacher. What a cliché!"_

 _ **What Comes After**_

After eating, the group gathered outside of the building to discuss their plans for the rest of the day. Nobody argued about spending the rest of the day at the shopping center, but it was decided by majority vote that they would visit the new residencies of the girls who had moved out: Ayano, who was now living alone, as well as Kagami and Konata, who lived together.

"Misao, I thought you would have moved in with Ayano, or at the very least live in the same apartment," remarked Kagami after she had given up protest over everybody coming to see where she and Konata were staying. "I remember you saying something like that a year ago, that you two were going to live together when you got to college."

The girl in question was a little surprised by the inquiry. Her mouth formed a circle and she tilted her head in an attempt to recall the time she had uttered those words, or something like them. Beating her to the punch was none other than the other girl who had been mentioned, and she explained things with a smile.

"I think you would be surprised by the reason Misa-chan remained at her house." Ignoring Misao's reaction, Ayano kept going. "You see, her grandparents convinced her to stay and live with them. She—" A different speaker cut her off, jumping in front and raising her voice.

"W-wait, I should actually explain this. If I let Aya-chan do it, something's probably gonna get mixed up." Looking unusually flustered, Misao resumed Ayano's explanation where she had interrupted. As for Ayano, her lips formed into a satisfied smile as she allowed the brunette to take over. "I did stay because of my grandparents, but that's only 'cause I would feel bad leaving them alone. After all, there wouldn't be anybody to take care of them and help them around the house. I'm not implying that they can't do stuff without me, but I'm just a little worried sometimes. Without my parents around, it's pretty much my job to do what they can't themselves."

"What about your brother? He could do that, couldn't he?" Kagami posed her question like she was thinking out loud. Misao just blew out the side of her mouth; that in itself was enough for mostly everybody to figure out what she thought of her brother taking care of the Kusakabe family's elders.

"To hell with that, he's worthless," she stated anyway. At that moment, Ayano stepped forwards and took her place besides the brunette with her usual smile.

"Misao's brother is currently living at the dormitory where he goes to college," she said. She seemed to have no qualms about sharing her knowledge of her closest friend's family business. "Once he finishes his education, he will be returning to live with Misao's grandparents. Then, Misa-chan plans on becoming my partner... I mean, room mate." Nobody could tell if she was joking or not.

For her part, Misao made sure to clarify what was true and what was false, although it was a tricky business for any of the others to try and discern truth from misconception. She had not seemed to expect to be showered with praise from both sides, getting compliments like she was a "good girl" and "unexpectedly considerate". She seized the first chance she got to retreat from being the center of attention, even though she normally accepted the spotlight without hesitation. An uncharacteristic blush colored her cheeks and she made no attempt to mask it, but she laughed it off and submitted to her friends' teasing.

"There is no reason to hide it," Miyuki told her. "Your attachment to your family members is something to be proud of." She gripped the girl's hand and held it tightly, her eyebrows coming together and a serious line displacing her jubilant smile.

"Heh heh, I know that, I know that. It's just sorta weird to have everybody complimenting me." Still visibly embarrassed, Misao responded by scratching her head and grinning. She obviously enjoyed her moment of fame, but thankfully it did not seem like it went to her head.

Out of nowhere, Konata aimed a question toward the orange-headed girl, one that everybody heard. "Aren't you dating Misao's brother?"

"Oh, yes... That is true." Her response was slow and measured, and she nodded as if she had only just remembered. "Both of us agreed that the relationship would not work out. We broke up, I guess you could call it, a while back. To explain the whole story would be to waste time, so I think we should get going, and maybe I can share another time."

The conversation ended on that note, for it was time for the main event of the day. When they reached the plaza, the group slowed to a stop and congregated in the first available space to discuss their "game plan". While they could have just roamed freely, the girls had come to a silent agreement that it would be best to maximize their time usage; the mall was of considerable size, and without a prior-made stratagem there would be no time to visit every store. As so, with all the efficiency of young adults on their recreational time, they agreed to split into groups depending on the stores they were interested in. The one rule they brought up was that no person should be without at least one other.

"This shall be our rendezvous point!"  
"We'll all meet here in an hour," Kagami said with all the authority of a born leader. Unfortunately, her commanding aura had been diminished by the simultaneous tactical message issued by her second-in-command Konata. Otherwise, there were no complaints, and the group of seven was divided into two: four going one way, and three going... well, the other way.

Kagami looked to her right, taking in her lineup: Tsukasa, Miyuki, and Ayano. The people accompanying her was a slight surprise, for she had almost been hoping to see a head of blue hair and green eyes among them. Konata had given her a grin and a salute before slipping away to join the blonde and the brunette, who were headed—where else?—to the gaming zone of the mall. Still, she was not disappointed to see who had chosen to accompany her; those walking alongside her wore welcoming smiles.

Sunday afternoon—the weather was perfect, and so was the temperature. A light wind blew from time to time, as if reminding the mall-goers of the beautiful, ideal conditions the day had been blessed with. For the group of four, slow progress was made along the edge of the plaza. Their surroundings were abuzz with activity and sound, and while it was not extraordinarily busy, people walked to and fro with colorful bags and talked loudly with their companions.

As they traveled from store to store, Kagami decided it was time to break the silence. Directing her question at Tsukasa, while making eye contact with Miyuki and Ayano, she started a conversation about a topic she had wanted to ask about for a while now. There was no need to build up from small talk, for they only had so much time to spare.

"I don't actually know," Tsukasa admitted, knotting her fingers nervously. "I have an idea of what I want to do, but I haven't actually thought about it seriously." Tsukasa was still living with the rest of the Hiiragi family, with their parents and sisters. There was no pressure on her to get a job or start school, and she had up to five people to look to for guidance when she decided on what she wanted to do. It did not take long for her to give into the encouragement of her older sister. "I haven't made up my mind yet, but... I want to be a singer. Ah, and a chef, and maybe a writer!"

Surprised by her sister's ambition and warmed by her innocence, Kagami could not help but smile. She had to consciously refrain from squealing and hugging Tsukasa, but she settled for placing a hand atop the girl's hair and rubbing her head. "All three of those? It would be amazing if you could pull it off," she said, gently hinting to her sister that the goals might be just a tad bit overzealous. However, her sister's resolve only seemed to grow when she heard the words.

"I can handle it! I know I can't do book smarts and the same stuff that you can, but I know how to sing and cook, and I like the idea of writing stories. Even if I'm not the best at it, I feel like I can be successful in at least one of those!" She nodded, determination written all over her face. Kagami had no choice but to agree, although in that moment she felt a surge of pride at seeing her sister's passion.

Turning to the other members of her party, Kagami asked the same question about the future. She was curious to know what two of her closest friends wanted to do with their newfound freedom, and she would have bet that they wanted to share just as much. Miyuki was the first to do so, and she did so with such surety that Kagami was convinced the bookworm had scripted her dialogue in advance.

"My current goal is to enroll in a prestigious medical or business school. There, I plan to major in one of the two, which will most likely become my lifetime career. At this point, I have not geared my studies too particularly toward either choice, so the final decision is still yet to be made." Her voice was steady and without hesitation, giving it a very professional tone. Miyuki was one of the very few who could set such goals with complete confidence and trust in their own abilities—even more so, one of the very few who could probably make good on their commitments. "I apologize if I sound pretentious, but that is how I have imagined it."

"Wow... No, it isn't pretentious at all." Kagami found herself seeing her bright-haired friend through new eyes. The total lack of doubt and uncertainty in Miyuki's voice nearly left her stunned. _"I can't believe she has already thought that far ahead... She really is amazing, isn't she?"_

Ayano's slight smile spoke for her admiration. "It should be a simple goal for you, Miyuki," she said, her praise lightly coloring the cheeks of the praised. Before anyone had to ask her about her plans, she put in her two cents. "I personally have not figured out what I want to do yet. I have a list of careers that I'm interested in, but my heart is not set on any one in particular."

Kagami nodded in agreement. The girl did not seem to have any affinity for a certain field, so the only thing to do from here would be to wait. Only time could tell. "You still have plenty of time. I don't think Konata has figured out what she's going to do either.

"As for me, I'm still thinking about it too," she said, angling her eyes to the sky. There was not a single cloud in sight. "I have thought about getting into business or law, but so far I haven't dedicated myself to anything."

The conversation more or less ended there as the girls' path deviated, leading them into one of the apparel stores along the edge of the mall. Before she stepped onto the tiled floor of the shop, Kagami paused and turned around, as if searching for something. After a few seconds of searching, her eyes lit up and her smile grew as she caught sight of a familiar blue before it was hidden by the crowd. She was not sure what instinct had told her to look for that blue, nor did she know what the point of finding Konata in the crowd, so she just let it be and followed her sister and friends into the shop.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Konata analyzed the object held up to her eyes, leafing through her mental archive for information about the game she had been asked to inspect. Although she had never played it, she knew about it through word of mouth, and, of course, the internet. It did not take long for her to give the verdict: that that game was only worth buying for fans of the strategy and puzzle genres. "Of course, that's just third-hand knowledge. I've heard people say the game is difficult, and it's all because the solutions are tricky and the battles have to be executed almost perfectly." She held the game out for her client, who took it with a sigh.

"Oh, really? That's a shame. I hate strategy games, and puzzle games..." Misao sighed again, looking a tad bit dejected.

Not wanting her friend to be too downtrodden over the issue, Konata offered an alternative and some subtle consolation. "I'll bet Kagami or Ayano would like it, though," she said with a halfhearted smile. She kept talking as Misao went to put the game back on the shelf. "It's still a relatively new title, so I would buy it just for the sake of having it. Even if the gameplay isn't really my thing, it's worth having all the titles of a series you like—spinoffs included."

"You're different!" Making an alarming recovery, Misao pointed at Konata and nearly poked her in the nose. "Only hardcore fans like you can do that kind of stuff in good conscience!"

Konata was unsure of whether or not to take that as a compliment, so she simply shrugged and grinned. In the end, the game was put back on the shelf—Misao had claimed she would buy it later, when she had extra cash to spend—and they left the store without buying anything. While they could have moved on to the next location, they waited outside the shop for their third member.

When Nanako finally joined them, it was with a shopping bag in one hand and a receipt in the other; her self-conscious smile was the final nail in the coffin for Konata to take a guess at what was in the bag. "Teach, I didn't know you were the type of gamer to buy the—"

"Hey! I'm not!" The teacher's voice rose in defense of herself. She made an attempt to cross her arms, but gave up after realizing the shopping bag was too much of a hindrance. "What makes you think I would buy those? Just because I love games and have money doesn't mean that I buy every release a company tries to sell."

Misao snickered at the near perfect description of Konata, and they all realized this; Konata with a taken aback sulk and Nanako with a victorious grin. The blue-haired hobbyist brushed off the jab at her reputation and continued.

"Well, didn't you say you had the most recent exp—"

"That's different! It was a discount, and it was a founder's pack. I only bought it for the early access and to support the developers, which is perfectly understandable!"

"Somehow, it seems less than credible when you say it yourself."

As usual, there was not enough context for anyone besides the speaking two to know what was being discussed. That left Misao out of the loop, which was something she did not appear to appreciate all that much. "Hello. Hellooo! What did you buy?"

Konata turned to the brunette with an answer on the tip of her tongue when she was, once again, interrupted by the older woman. "I just bought some new games, that's all! Izumi is just being a brat and confusing everybody by making stupid assumptions."

"I think it's working, too. Hey, can you ask the rea—"

"Let's go. Come on, Kusakabe, before she starts something again."

Nanako distanced herself from her student, walking ahead as Konata gave her friend a mischievous grin and ran after the blonde woman. Misao's shoes tapped against the ground as the girl followed suit, and after a few moments they had fallen back into their line of three. Konata, never one to let silence stretch on for more than a minute, grabbed randomly for a conversation topic, finding one she liked and throwing it out onto the floor: "Hey, Kuroi-sensei."

When she had her instructor's attention, she continued. "Give me some tips on life!" Grinning from side to side, she watched and waited for Nanako's reaction.

"Huh? Where the heck did that come from?" Nanako looked startled by the request that had literally come out of the blue. "And what do you mean tips? I'd be happy to help, but first I need to know what you want from me."

Konata stopped for a moment, then shrugged. The question had popped into her head, and she had asked without thinking of how she would follow up. This was a regular thing as, though she was a conversationalist, she started conversations by simply saying whatever was on her mind; in actuality, she almost never tried to plan out the flow of dialogue, even though it worked satsifyingly well when she did.

"Oh, whatever. I'll just tell you what I think is the best thing to do," Nanako sighed as if complying with the request was tiresome for her. She stood up a bit taller, straightening her posture, and her face took on a thoughtful frown. "Have you decided on any career or job yet?"

Konata shook her head, and Nanako hummed. Misao moved closer and leaned in as well. "To be honest, it would probably be easiest to work part-time jobs and the like for a while. You're in university, right? Focus on your education; don't worry about working until you get your degree and graduate. Even after that, it's fine if you want to relax for half a year or a year. Just figure out what you seriously want to work as for the rest of your life. Thankfully, you have the opportunity to do that, so I'm counting on you not to waste it."

While she had been grinning playfully before, Konata was now riveted on the lecture. She was definitely impressed by the sound advice, which Nanako had apparently come up with on a moment's notice. "As usual, you give really good tips, Chief. That's really helpful, I'll remember it," she said. Her hand went up in a salute to show her acknowledgement. At her side, Misao did the same.

"And mine as well! Don't mind my eavesdropping," she chuckled. Nanako smiled at the two of them.

"Don't sweat it. You're the two students who I thought would need the most help anyway," she taunted, her voice turning into a laugh as both girls feigned offense.

For both the three and the four, time passed quickly. Conveniently, they regrouped at around the time they had planned for. Seven girls chatted idly in low voices, watching the cloudless sky and the sun, which had hid itself behind a skyscraper in preparation for dusk. Around them was a tranquil scene, one that went undisturbed by even the other visitors who lingered in the shopping zone. They came together in a small circle, and when the circle broke, they moved in the same direction. Two girls led the way for the assemblage, not too far ahead of the others, as they fell in with the sparse crowd headed for the exit.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **It's been about a month, and this chapter has been uploaded on the day after April 1st. I was originally planning to have it done on the day of or before, but things don't always work out—especially when it comes to managing uploads. Hope the chapter is satisfactory! Please tell me if something seems off, and I'll do my best to fix it.**

 **Recently, I've become a fan of Hyperdimension Neptunia, and that came with the added side effect of inspiration for yet another story. Look out for that if you're interested! It will be written from an omniscient point of view, focused around a theme of rebellion and featuring most of the cast—those I'm most familiar with—and my two favorite main characters. Here's a hint: Sega and Sony.**

 **As for this story, which should be the main focus of this note anyways, progress has been better as of late. While writing this chapter took a great deal more time than I originally expected, the process has also helped me figure out content for the future. Now, this story actually has some direction and character development! At least, it will.**

 **Anyways, back to the topic at hand. If you've noticed, [Location Tags] have been removed, because they aren't really necessary. As always, I apologize for being slow to update. Check out some of my other stories if you're interested in more Lucky Star or some other fandoms. Send me a private message with things to talk about or questions you might have, and leave a review if you have suggestions or feedback on the story. I reply to everybody except guests, and unless the site glitches out then I'll get back to you within a year!**

Sym: To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this month. Good things have happened, but when I look back on it bad things have happened as well. Here's hoping the next will be better! Oh, and that the author's allergies clear up soon.

Misao: Right?! Allergies are annoying! My nose is always super dry in allergy season. It's horrible...

Ayano: Really? My nose always gets stuffy and clogged. It's unbearably stifling.

Misao: You don't know the least of it, Aya-chan. You're lucky. Lucky.

Sym: Sometimes, I get allergies in the wintertime. It really isn't pleasant. But anyways, it's getting late and I'm sure we all need to get some rest. Ayano, Misao, it's been a while hasn't it?

Ayano: I think this is our first appearance in the story, as a matter of fact. Neither Misa-chan or I have had any speaking lines until this chapter.

Misao: Right, right... It's just because we're side characters. The only reason we're even here right now is because the author needs to make the story seem more realistic.

Sym: That's true, but not completely true. He told me that he legitimately enjoys writing your character, Misao. You and Ayano may not be the stars of this particular story, but by that same logic this would be a rather dull story without you.

Misao: That's good to know! So we aren't just disposable side characters after all.

Ayano: When it comes to fanfiction, my personal belief is that the line between main character and side character is erased. After all, some authors love to write stories about characters that are not so prominent in the canon story. Say, for example, Blade of Justice; many characters in one of their longer stories are only glossed over in the games.

Sym: For sure, for sure. A motto of mine is as such, "Supporter of word equality. Writing across all platforms!" Not sure if that fits in here, but I wanted to throw it in. Fanfiction writers don't have to worry about staying in character or even with certain characters. If I wanted to, I could write an entire story involving literally nobody but a single character who shows up for one episode in a series.

Misao: Have you ever done that? It sounds sort of fun, in a rebellious sort of way.

Sym: I haven't done that yet, but I do agree. It sounds fun. But we're out of time here. Before the clock resets, let us say goodbye here!

Ayano: Good night!

Misao: See ya!

Sym: See you in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4: Familiar and Unfamiliar

Being a university student was very different from being a high-school student, but not in a bad way. It was surprising how alien college felt in comparison to the previous three years of schooling. There was more freedom when it came to attendance, which came off more of a suggestion than a requirement; while it was important to show up for exams and lectures, there were no penalties for skipping class. Though she was not planning to take advantage of this, Konata welcomed the change.

Another interesting change was the emphasis placed on the individual. Students were expected to take their studies onto themselves, rather than the teachers—instructors, professors, whatever their titles were—telling them what to do. More emphasis was placed on exams than homework, meaning graded assignments were a thing of the past. Konata had breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that her days of rushing through piles of due-tomorrow papers were over. However, since she had graduated from high school, she should also try to graduate from procrastinating on everything.

What mattered most was the changes to her lifestyle: from teen to adult, one could say. Although she would not have to pay the rent for this room, no longer was she living under her father's wing. She had taken a step toward independence, not just in maturity of character but of her standing in the world. Starting in a couple days, she would be attending college with Kagami—her longest friend, best friend, and girlfriend. The thought alone sent a tingling sensation through her spine.

Wrapping the blanket tighter around her, she rolled over in bed to look out into the room. She watched as her girlfriend worked like a robot, moving at a speed that should have been impossible so early in the morning.

"When are you going to get up?" Without interrupting her actions, Kagami cast a glance at teh bed where the other girl was still lying. Konata just smiled and hid her head under the covers, making a show of huddling deeper into the sheets.

"When the sun rises in the west," she said through layers of fabric. She was not tired, but she was comfortable. What was the point in waking up early when school had not yet started? Classes would be in session starting tomorrow, but that was all the more reason to kick back and relax. The best thing to do at this time would be stay home—a generalization, of course, since their actual homes were miles away—and play games or simply enjoy each others' presence. There was nothing wrong with spending a lazy afternoon alone with her favorite person in the world, right?

A few seconds later, she felt something land on top of the blanket. "The sun rose a long time ago, and it didn't rise in the west," responded Kagami's voice. Konata's head reappeared from underneath the blanket, and her eyes landed on the bundle of clothes that had been tossed onto the bed. "Even if we don't have anything on our schedule, that doesn't mean there isn't something more productive we can do than lounge around for the whole day."

With an exaggerated sigh, Konata reached out to take the clothes that were draped over her legs. Konata very nearly resisted the temptation to comment on the fact that Kagami must have searched through her wardrobe to pick out her clothes. However, to hold back was not in her style.

 _ **What Comes After**_

By the time the clock read eleven, Konata was following Kagami through the early-morning crowd of the city. The spring sunlight was toned down so much, one could have mistaken it to be overcast rather than clear. At this time, no one walking along the streets seemed to be in any hurry to get anywhere. Several people even smiled and greeted the girls as they passed, something that would be rare on a busier day.

"Where are we going?" Konata asked. Her companion smiled and evaded the question, saying they would arrive soon. The blue-haired girl reluctantly gave up on the matter; though she preferred to know their destination beforehand, she felt no urge to find out. If Kagami wanted to be mysterious and surprise her, then there was no point in complaining.

True to her word, they arrived within a few minutes. Kagami tapped her girlfriend on the arm, leading her off to the side and to a door that was hidden in plain sight. It nearly blended in with the rest of the wall, being only a couple shades bluer than the light gray of its surroundings. An austere, inconspicuous door like this one would be easy to walk past every day and not notice.

Even with the growing urbanization of the modern world, there still existed close-knit communities in areas teeming with people. As Konata stepped over the doorstep, she knew it was one of those special sites that allowed such a community to be formed. She was immediately reminded of a great movie she had watched. What was it again: The Time of... something...

"Welcome! How are you?" greeted the person standing behind the bar. She leaned over the counter a slight bit, watching with a smile. Kagami responded in kind, walking up to the counter to exchange pleasantries with the woman. Konata stood by her side, waving and introducing herself after her friend. While Kagami and the lady engaged in conversation, she took a look around. The roof was high, surprisingly so. It was refreshing and comfortable to have so much empty space above. The walls were painted a solid metallic gray, except for one; on the center wall, a mural of a great tree with a sprawling canopy stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Many potted plants decorated the room, and an easel board propped up against the base of a pillar displayed various information. Around the room, a couple patrons sat in open-backed chairs and filled the room with the low buzz of conversation.

"My name is Nagi. May I ask yours?" Snapped out of her observations, Konata returned her attention to the woman at the counter. Giving her name, she accepted the sheet of paper that Nagi held out for her to take. On the front was a list of menu items, and on the back was a golden icon of an hourglass against a dark background. The emblem looked out of place when compared with the rest of the building.

"This is our menu. Don't let it intimidate you, most of our regular customers have already memorized everything that's important to them," Nagi said. She motioned at the display case to her left. Konata's eyes followed and landed on the selection of foods. "If you aren't the type to fall into a routine, then you can always pick something fresh from over there. It changes every day, but we do take requests. The waiting time differs if you want something we don't already have, though—can't have fresh and fast in equal amounts, after all. Although, if you ask for an apple, we won't make you wait more than a minute unless you want it sliced, candied, dipped in honey, or something like that. Costs a little extra, but we aren't running a strict business here; it all depends on you."

A wide assortment of pastries adorned the shelves, ranging from European patisseries to things that could be found in most bakeries. On the counter, a sign with large lettering served as a reminder that ordering _à la carte_ was acceptable.

Handing the menu to her partner, she thanked Nagi with a nod and a smile. The hostess gestured toward the tables and chairs that filled the empty space in the center of the room. "Enjoy your stay! I'm always here if you need me, but don't feel like you have to keep me company. I'm pretty comfortable being part of the backdrop."

As she followed Kagami to a seat, Konata gave her an impressed look. "How did you find out about this place?" The purple-haired girl looked over her shoulder and grinned.

"For all of your knowledge of the area, you missed this spot. Let's just call it an oversight on your part."

They spent the next hour sitting across from each other, enjoying the comfort of a pleasant environment and a light meal. Although the door was closed, cool air and filtered sunshine emanated from the skylight until the difference between being indoors and outdoors was all but indiscernable. Konata sat back in her chair and tilted her head back, gazing up at the glass roof.

"This really is amazing. It reminds me of a movie I've watched, but I don't remember exactly," she said. Stretching her arms over her head, she let out a pleased sigh. "It's sorta like we're in another world, this is so unrealistics. Who would've thought something like this could be hidden in modern Japan?"

"I want to bring Tsukasa and Miyuki here sometime," Kagami said. It looked like she was already planning for future visits, not that Konata had any objections. She loved the simple, halcyon setting of this place which could be no larger than her house.

Following brunch, the two girls bid their farewells to Nagi and left the tranquil zone to venture out once more. Even though they had gone on not one but two outings in the past couple of days, they once again found themselves on the streets with no set goal in mind. Neither had spoken a word since leaving the cafe. Konata snuck a glance at the taller girl walking beside her, whose eyes roamed the streets. "Hey, Kagamin. Do you feel sort of aimless?"

"What do you mean?" she asked. Her eyes landed on Konata after a few seconds.

"Well, we aren't doing anything important right now," she began. The rest of her logic was made up of more feeling than reason, but she tried her best to explain. "Class hasn't started yet, and we've been around here twice already."

"Kagami inclined her head and pressed her lips together. "I get what you mean. Once our break ends, we'll be busy with school. Studying and homework are going to take priority over games, I hope," she remarked pointedly. Unfazed, Konata brushed off the accusation and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up.

"You know, we don't act very much like lovers. It just feels like we're really, really close friends," Konata changed the subject. The pressure of Kagami's gaze lifted.

"I think we had this conversation before, actually. I still agree with you," she said. Her head dipped to acknowledge a woman with two large suitcases swinging by her sides. Pulling Konata by the hand, she cleared the way for the woman to pass. "You seem sober today. In the mood for a serious conversation?"

Kagmai had hit the nail on the head. There were some things that had been on Konata's mind for a while. Though nothing dark or depressing, it was enough to keep her distracted.

"I was just thinking about stuff," she started. Her friend looked at her, prompting her to go on. "Kuroi-sensei told me not to worry about getting a job, but I don't know what I want to do. It's sort of bothering me."

Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Already thinking about working? You have a lot of time before you need to get a job, and you still work at that one place, right?"

"I know, but I can't go there anymore because of the distance," Konata sighed. "Plus, they got another girl with a better schedule than mine. She was basically a convenient replacement for me, since I would be leaving. I'm sure she can't dress or dance as well as me, though."

Watching closely, Kagami came to the conclusion that there was more to her friend's silence than that. "What else are you thinking about?"

"Just... life things, I guess."

"Could you be a bit more specific?" asked Kagami, her smile belying her sarcastic tone. "At least give me some body language to work off of. You can't just say five words and expect me to know what's going on. I won't laugh at you, even if I want to."

"Gee, thanks," the blue-haired girl smiled. "I'm still getting used to everything, that's all. College feels really different from high school, since we have to study and do everything on our own. In a couple years, we'll be living by ourselves... well, we are living on our own right now, but you know what I mean." Even though her friend nodded in understanding, she felt the need to clarify. "We aren't living with our parents anymore, but we're still sort of being protected by the university. After we graduate, then we'll have to get apartments or houses or whatever."

"Thinking like that makes me feel a little excited for it too," Kagami commented. It was pleasing to see that she shared the same opinion.

"Right? It's still far away, but I can't stop wondering about it. I keep thinking about what I want to do, and what I need to do to get there." Konata paused for a second before continuing. "I really don't know how to get it off my mind. It's distracting and tiring to look at something and start thinking seriously all of a sudden."

They walked in silence for a few moments. Then, Kagami smiled at her friend. "What happened to you, Konata? You sound so mature." The otaku pouted for a moment, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "It's hard to believe that you're the same person as the girl whose every action was taken out of a manga."

She looked up again, checking to make sure she was not about to walk into something. "You brought your computer and part of your collection with you, but you were really reserved about it. The only books you brought are the ones you haven't read yet. It says a lot, being able to give up your hobbies in favor of the future."

"I'm not giving up on it!" Konata interjected. "Never shall I ever; it's part of my heritage!"

Kagami chuckled and looked back at her. "And that's another thing: knowing what's important, but not throwing away your passion. It's one of the things I love best about you."

Konata stared for a moment before looking away. "You're throwing around a lot of flattery, and all I wanted was to get that off my chest. Either way, it's sort of suspicious."

"Oh, come on now. You were practically fishing for compliments," teased the girl. She leaned forward to peek at her girlfriend's flushed face. "I wasn't exaggerating, you know. You've matured a lot, ever since I met you."

"See!" exclaimed Konata, meeting Kagami's eyes regardless of her rosy cheeks. "That was definitely flattery! What's up with that?"

"As I said before, it's all true," was the only response. Slightly miffed at being bested in wordplay, Konata clicked her tongue and sighed.

"I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life? As much as I like being praised, try to keep it fresh. I only accept cash or compliment, and nothing higher than a twenty."

Kagami laughed and shouldered her purse, looking back over her shoulder and beckoning for her friend to follow. "Let's go, we don't have all day. Once school starts, I'm expecting you to stay motivated for all four years, you hear me?"

Konata grinned and nodded. She picked up her pace until she was walking alongside her girlfriend, but she did not move to take the lead. As always, Kagami seemed to have their day all planned out.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Hey! For those who are interested, I want address some things that may be important. First of all, I apologize for the usual month of waiting and the shorter-than-usual chapter. Chapter length and delay time will vary greatly, there's no helping it. That brings me to the thing that may be important. From here on out, the wait between chapters is most likely going to increase. I am not losing interest nor motivation in writing, but I don't want to force my hand to meet an invisible deadline. I do have plans on where I want this story to go next, and recently I have had a tough time writing "fillers". So, if a month or two pass without an update, don't fret. Unless I specifically say so, What Comes After has not been abandoned.**

 **Onto happier things: Hyperdimension Neptunia is great! I'm playing through Re;Birth 2, and I'm going to play Re;Birth 3 afterwards. Hyperdevotion Noire was also brought to Steam recently, and I'm waiting for my friend to buy it so I can use his library to play it. Hyper Light Drifter is also a relatively new indie game, and I've been playing that. All these Hypers are really good, haha! Neptunia is also one of the reasons that I've been writing less frequently, so... yeah. I felt inspired to write something about it, and I have a HDN story in the making, and surprisingly enough, a crossover as well. The latter is already uploaded, so make of it what you will.**

 **If you enjoy the story or have any feedback or suggestions, please leave a review; I read and reply to all of them, unless the site glitches out and hides them from me. Follow if you want to get notifications once you've already forgotten about the story. Favorite if you like it, I guess. That's all I have to say, so thanks for reading, and here's to the future!**

Sym: I'm currently saving up money to buy the new HDN spinoff game. It's $17.99, so I'm going to wait for a sale too.

Nagi: Is it any good? What do the reviews say?

Sym: It's a strategy role-playing game that's easy to get into and fun to play, and the difficulty settings scale well. The art and music are high quality. As far as flaws go, I'm seeing a little bit about repetitive combat, and a couple people are saying that the port is bad.

Nagi: Seems fine to me. I don't usually have trouble with ports, but I've only played a couple myself.

Sym: I'm not much of a console gamer, so I have to rely on ports to play a lot of games. A bad port means a game is virtually unplayable. But that's enough of that, let's not waste too much time. After all, this is a very special visit from a very special guest from a very special place.

Nagi: I didn't think you were the type to exaggerate, but I do appreciate the thought.

Sym: Would you rather it be 'a visit from a guest from a place'?

Nagi: I really don't mind either way. My name is Nagi, and I work at a cafe, the Hourglass.

Sym: Allow me to ask, and I'm rather curious myself, the story behind the Hourglass. As mentioned before, it seems so surreal and impossible. How did you come to work there?

Nagi: Something I believe that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing at least once in their lifetimes is walking into a room that completely contrasts the world as one knows it. For a girl who grew up in the technological cities of the not-too-distant future, that would be a place that had all the elements of serenity: natural light, open space, and a quiet but friendly atmosphere.

Sym: Did you say the future?

Nagi: I think the Hourglass is the best way to share that feeling with the people who live here in Japan, where science and progress are driving factors. One of the most important things in life is to have a spot to rest and socialize. That's what the Hourglass is to me.

Sym: Wow, that's... really impressive. Where did you say you were from?

Nagi: Eve no Jikan, or, The Time of Eve. Originally an ONA series, but there is now a movie that compiles all six episodes plus a little bit extra.

Sym: Right, right. I should watch that when I have a bit of spare time. Anyways, I think our time just ran out, so thank you for coming today.

Nagi: Yeah, no problem.

Sym: That's just about it for this time, so we'll see you on the next Chapter's End!


	5. Chapter 5: Thankfully It's Friday

Konata put her pen down and leaned over her desk, resting her hand on her chin. Most of the other students in her class were still scratching away at their notebooks, copying down the last of the notes on board. The professor, who was standing behind a lectern offset from the center of the room, finished organizing his papers or whatever else he was doing and looked around.

"Does anyone here play Dagger Quest?" He looked around with a hint of a smile. "I'm going to get the fifth and ninth for the DS."

A buzz circulated the room. Many students perked up at the mention of the popular franchise, even some who weren't actually avid video game players, and some of them exchanged glances with their friends and neighbors.

Feeling an immediate sense of kinship with the teacher, Konata was the first to reply. Her voice rang out clearly:

"I already pre-ordered both!" she said. "And I still have the PS2 version, too. Five has got to be one of my favorites."

"I still have it for the Super Famicom," the professor replied without missing a beat. "I've heard a lot of good things about nine, like it'll be more difficult overall than most of the other games. Not sure how true that is, though."

By the time everybody had completed their notes, a few others had jumped into the conversation and were now discussing both iconic moments and personal experiences. Seeing that the hands of the clock were approaching twelve, Konata started to pack up.

"Alright then, we're almost out of time," the professor noted, cutting the discussion short. "Class dismissed! Enjoy your lunch, and make sure to start reading the pages in the textbook. We'll go over them tomorrow."

The volume of the students' voices dropped as he gave the closing statement, then it returned in full force as bodies rose and headed for the door. A few people lingered a little longer to chat with the teacher and wait for the crowd to disperse before they joined in the noontime rush hour.

Certain classes let out at different times, but everybody on campus, student or faculty, shared the same lunch hour. Today, Konata and Kagami had decided to celebrate the end of their first week in college by sampling lunch at one of the popular eateries around the university. Known for selling good food at low prices, it earned a good reputation among the student body. Fitting with the urbanized Japanese city theme, the entrance hid near the main entrance and clock tower. It would have been difficult to find without directions, but the swarm of hungry students gave away the location.

Konata followed the stream that flowed toward the center of campus. As she walked, she dug in her bag for her phone. Flipping it open with one hand and manipulating the keypad, she dialed her favorite number and held it up to her ear.

Once the static stopped, she shouted into the receiver. "Hey Kagami, where are you?"

The response came immediately, but Konata missed it; she righted herself after having practically thrown herself to the side to avoid a pair of students who were walking with eyes only for each other. "Sorry, what was that? It's like I'm in Gensokyo over here. Can you say it again?"

The receiver crackled. "I said, I'm going toward the refectory! Meet me on the grass in front of the school."

In a few minutes, the two were reunited at the head of the downwards staircase that led to the university's famed cafeteria. Konata sighed and slumped into her friend's body as the two of them waited to get in line.

"That was horrible! I don't think I'll survive the next week," she complained and reached up, brushing Kagami's face. "The people here have no respect for shorter people, none at all."

"Don't be so dramatic," Kagami said with a smile. "It must have been tough for you, though, considering how busy it is right now."

Nearby students began to shift and inch forward, and Kagami pushed the smaller girl to her feet.

"Come on, we're moving."

The two took slow steps forward as they waited for the crowd to make way. When they made it through the open door, the hallway opened up into a room forty times its size. Like a train station, it was spacious and had all the intricacy of an origami house. Far above their heads, supported by worn concrete pillars, the ceiling folded like a polygon mesh. Orange lights glowed on top of the pillars and made the roof appear to be constructed out of paper.

The walls looked like they were built with countless uniform stalks of bamboo, and they curved around the room in a huge arc. Looking into the center of the room made Konata feel as if she were in some sort of underground food court, while looking outwards reminded her of a waterside front with stone floors and bamboo panels.

In the middle of the room stood a kitchen, very much resembling an island to which people flocked to get their meals. Along the edge of the room, tables seated mobs of dining and chatting students. Each table had no less than twenty chairs, but finding two empty seats would be no easy task. The pack of students continued to move, and Kagami craned her neck to read one of the electronic menus mounted overhead.

"Hey, Konata, look at that... Actually, it's too far away to see."

The two girls moved forward continuously and at the complete mercy of the crowd. An agoraphobiac's nightmare, the surrounding area was strewn with people looking for someone they knew, somewhere to sit, and something to eat. The crowd was thickest near the entrance and the kitchen, where food on colored trays was served at an amazing rate.

Like she had rehearsed beforehand, Kagami grabbed Konata's hand and looked about the room. She tugged and guided Konata through the horde of lunchgoers. Even though the tiny otaku could have easily navigated a crowd like this—after all, what was this to Comiket?—the gesture was sweet and brought a little smile to her face. She squeezed the hand holding hers and felt it squeeze back. Even though she couldn't read Kagami's expression, she felt like it matched her own.

On the less chaotic side of the room, a relatively small line waited in front of one of the many windows dispensing trays. Kagami looked back at Konata, but something else had stolen the smaller girl's attention.

In her peripheral vision, Konata saw Kagami trace her line of sight to a counter lined with pre-made meals and individually wrapped foods.

"Look! They have more stuff than Ryōō!"

Konata's eyebrows shot up. Like a child window-shopping with their parents, she pointed and talked quickly.

"There's riceballs and sandwiches, and they have all the bread over there, and I think those are the same chocolate cornets I buy all the time! That fridge case is probably full of drinks and packaged lunches, too!"

Kagami frowned and blew out the side of her mouth.

"I don't understand your fixation on convenience store food," she said. "They're convenient, obviously, and they taste okay, but what's so great about them?"

"Tell me, when was the last time you made a trip to the convenience store to load up on snacks?"

"Hey! That's different..."

Konata scanned the selection from afar, singling out the things she wanted to buy: something salty for lunch, something sweet for later, something Kagami would surely enjoy. She considered running over and purchasing something immediately, but the line advanced and pulled her attention away from the pre-made paradise.

When they reached the front of the line, a brown-haired man looekd at them and smiled.

"What can I get you?" His fingers tapped the polished surface as if it were the keys of a piano.

Kagami pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and handed it to the man. "Red gate ramen, please."

The man nodded and tapped some buttons on the register. After he input the order, he stopped with his finger on the keypad and looked at Konata.

"And what will you have?"

Konata realized with horror that, unlike Kagami, she did not have a ready response. She searched her inventory in vain; there was no ticket in her bag or her clothes. Her plan to stop by the vending machine between classes had not come to fruition.

Awaiting her answer, both Kagami and the cashier watched as she turned out her pockets.

"Uh... I did plan on grabbing a ticket on the way here, but, well, you know."

As expected, Kagami shook her head and sighed.

"Of course," she groaned. "You rarely ever use ticket venders, since you always bring your own lunch."

A laugh from the cashier drew the girls' attention.

"You can order here if you want. Tickets are just a convenience; I can accept your order."

An array of perfect, unaging food lined the interior of a display case that was off to the side. Not bothering to waste time looking over the selection, Konata simply repeated what her partner had said.

"I'll just have the red gate ramen."

No more than half a minute later, two food trays were slid over the counter, each with a bowl of noodles in a thick red sauce. Konata followed her friend to a counter stocked with consumables and seasonings and napkins—a detail that only added to the food-court atmosphere.

"You've been here before, haven't you?" Konata asked out of curiosity. "You know exactly what you're doing; I can see it."

Kagami shrugged and nodded, taking the subtle compliment in stride, but it was evident from her faint smile that she took pride in the fact.

"This place is confusing at first, but it's not that bad," she commented.

Several minutes later, the two found space to sit. If not for a polite man who had gotten up and switched seats, they would have been separated by two or three bodies.

"That was really nice of him," Konata remarked as she sat down opposite her friend. "He must be a teacher, huh? Guess they don't have a priority lunchroom for staff or something."

Some boys to Konata's left burst into laughter, and Kagami's reply failed to reach her target. Aware of this, the lavender-haired teen waited before speaking again.

"He may not be a teacher," she said over the noise. "This place is actually unaffiliated with the school. Anyone can eat here, as long as they have money."

Konata's eyebrows went up and she whistled, impressed.

"No way. You mean, I can come here and eat for four hundred yen whenever I want? No studentship necessary?" she asked, and her friend nodded. "Then I'll never have to cook again... I'm set for life!"

Very briefly, Kagami looked extremely startled before she realized it was only a joke. Once Konata had assured her that she was not planning to totally live off the university resources, she picked up her spoon and eyed the bowl of noodles before her. She could see her purple-haired counterpart on the other side of the table doing the same.

"Hey, Kagamin, what did you say this was?"

"It's their signature dish," Kagami replied, " _Akamon ramen_. It's made with ground pork, mushrooms, and bean sprouts. From what I hear, it's pretty spicy."

Less worried about the spice than the consistency, Konata dipped her spoon in the sauce. As she had noticed before, at the first sight of the dish, it was very thick and nothing like the stuff she was used to.

"Well, if this place is as good as they say it is, then this probably tastes better than it looks."

Konata could not tell from the first bite that she was eating ramen. The appearance alone had already offset her expectations, but the flavor and texture threw her off even more: a moment of hearty flavor and the savory, spicy sauce.

Across from her, Kagami put her spoon down and looked up. Her face was the look of a person who would share their opinion but only after hearing another's.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Do you like it?"

Before answering, Konata tried another spoonful. When it came to spicy foods, the best flavors sometimes had a slow start and took a little while to kick in.

"Yeah, it's not bad. The second bite was better than the first. This reminds me," she added fondly, "of the spaghetti my dad and I make for the holidays."

All around them, people came and went. Even if the eatery was open to the public, most of the lunchers were students. Even as people finished their meals and left, the crowd always seemed to be fed from a constant source. It was lunch hour for the students attending the university, so the refectory was packed with young adults. Loud and permeating, the ambience was not unlike what one would hear in a metro. The locals had probably realized the inconvenience of visiting during lunch time and thus kept their distance until the young adults returned to their classes.

Konata imagined this must be how passersby felt when schools went on field trips. She suddenly felt empathetic for all the workers and staff who had ever had to sponsor large groups of students on their shifts. To be surrounded by lots of unruly, annoying, younger people—it must be a nightmare! Imagine trying to take the orders of a table of unorganized high-schoolers; they'd never be able to get anything done in due time.

The voices of the boys sitting next to Konata rose again, and she reactively glanced sidelong at them. One of them she recognized from her class, though she could not remember which one in particular, but he met her eyes and knew her.

His face lit up with a smile and he greeted her enthusiastically.

"I know that blue hair," he said. "You're in my literature class!"

The chance meeting led to a short-lived but polite conversation. Barely two lines of dialogue had passed between them before the boy's friends stood up and nudged him towards the door. Neither had asked for the other's name, but being classmates they would definitely see each other again many times over the year.

Stealing glances around the room, which was now much less populated, Kagami cleaned her mouth with a napkin and looked at her girlfriend. Her eyebrows arched and she remarked, "You made friends already? I'm impressed."

Konata's smile turned to a smirk. "Yep, we met over Dagger Quest. That's a point for me... but what about you?"

Any signs that Kagami was the one doing the teasing vanished from her face.

"Well, not yet, but it's only really been a week. S-so, gimme more time! I'll be more popular anyways, even though I could care less.

"Speaking of the time..." She looked down at her phone and checked the screen. "We should get going. I don't want to be late for my next class."

A few more noodles were still in Konata's bowl. Not wanting to waste anything, she picked up her spoon.

"I'm almost finished."

"Hurry, hurry," rushed Kagami. Done with her meal, she leaned forward in her seat and watched her friend eat. Her palm was down, and her fingers moved hurriedly.

Under scrutinity, Konata consciously sped up her pace and slurped down the remaining noodles. As soon as the last of her meal was gone, Kagami smiled and stood up. She grabbed her tray and led the way to a counter where they dropped off their used dishes.

Konata followed her friend out of the building and into daylight. Once they were aboveground and safely away from the crowd, they headed in the direction of the main entrance. The parterre afront of the school was teeming with teenagers. A steady stream of people passed both ways under the stone archways of the university building.

After walking without comment for a while, Kagami relaxed her pace and sighed.

"There are still people lounging around, and I haven't heard any bells," she remarked. "Looks like I didn't have to worry about being late."

Konata shrugged and stretched both arms above her head.

"I feel that way too, sometimes. I usually end up logging in twenty minutes before a raid, just because scheduling them is a pain for everyone. Especially those dungeons that take forever... Some people only have so much time, you know?"

Before Kagami could make the inevitable quip about Konata's excessive amount of spare time, the carillon began to peal. Clear, resounding chimes rang out from the clock tower, signaling the end of lunch break. Handfuls of students started to walk every which way, ending the laid-back atmosphere.

"I'll see you later," Kagami said, already walking on ahead. She smiled, waved, and turned away; she had done this farewell before.

Acting on impulse, Konata started forward and wrapped her girlfriend in a hug.

"See you later, Kagami!"

After a small, awkward tap on Konata's back, Kagami escaped from the hug and looked back with an equally small and awkward smile.

"Let's save it for later. I have to get to class, so I'll go on ahead."

With that, she strode swiftly away toward that set of stone archways leading into the university building.

"Huh. She's so high-strung!" Konata's remark went unheard, although a passing student did notice her mumbling.

Although her best friend insisted on keeping punctuality paramount, Konata felt no need to rush. Her class was nearby, and she followed at a much slower pace.

 _ **What Comes After**_

Konata took no detours and went directly to her class. She took her seat at a desk next to the aisle, not quite in the front row but not near the back either. The rest of the students arrived, filling the room with the sort of friendly chatter that took place everywhere. Elementary, middle, or high school, it didn't matter.

Her hand reached into her bag and touched her phone, which she brought out to check the time: 12:08 PM. She only had to sit through two more lectures, this one included, until she was done with classes for today.

One of the most interesting things about college, she felt, was the irregularity of her schedule. She had heard from others how students could expect to be able to pick and choose their classes and structure their days, but now she had actually experienced it firsthand.

Only one of her classes, a writing course, met daily. This class lasted for the usual length: about one hour. The rest would meet two or three days weekly, but those sessions ranged between one hour to one and a half.

Though she didn't have any herself, she had also heard of classes that met only once a week. Apparently these classes did not give as many credits, but credits and graduation requirements were completely beyond Konata's interest.

Today being Friday, she was sitting through her third session of English. At some point, within a decade at least, English had become a mandatory field of study at most Japanese schools. Konata reasoned that it was because English was becoming a larger and larger presence in the global economy, and Japanese economists were trying to tap the potential of the English-speaking world.

The teacher, a hasty man with swept black hair and fleet dark eyes, stumbled over his words and stopped for a second to recollect himself. He was of Asian descent, Chinese and Vietnamese he claimed, but he had been born in raised as America. Something about the particular state he had lived in gave him a clear English accent that was very light and uninfluenced.

She couldn't give her full attention to the teacher and his lesson. While she liked him and his mistake-prone yet relatable personality, a little thing itched at the back of her mind when she should have been listening.

As a dedicated player of romance visual novels, she considered herself a professional at reading people, other girls especially. Nothing in Kagami's behavior hinted that she was upset, but in reality it was a little difficult to tell. Naturally, real people were a lot more convincing when they put up fake fronts. If something minor was bothering Kagami, sometimes Konata wouldn't be able to notice as long as Kagami kept it under wraps; likewise, Konata found it easy to act normal even when she wanted to go home and seek refuge in the second dimension.

"There's a ton of grammar to go over, but we'll just work on pronounciation for a while," he said in clumsy Japanese, slowing down so as to not make a mistake. "The most important thing to do is listen. I can tell you, as a learner of three languages, that listening and repeating slowly is the best way to grapple with speaking a new language. Heck, I make mistakes even when I talk in my first language; if anything, speak slower than me until you get a hang of it."

The class finished without event, and shortly after the bell rang Konata closed her binder and was up and out of her seat. Their teacher's valediction behind them, students spilled out of the classroom and into the hallway, where they parted and scattered to find their next destinations.

Letting out her breath in a little puff of air, Konata hefted her bag and headed for her next and final class. Her enthusiasm for learning had fallen off and was replaced by a desultory mood. She only wanted to finish with classes and return to her room. Her favorite periods having passed, there was nothing left to look forward to except spending what remained of the afternoon and night with Kagami.

While she walked, she thought about how they would spend their time together. A little while doing homework, a little more sitting together and enjoying each other's company; they would talk about the same things and some new things, then one of them would make the suggestion that they go out for dinner or a movie and snacks—and make it a date.

The plan fitted itself vaguely together in her mind's eye, and she nearly walked into someone without noticing. On the way to her next class, Konata found there to be springs in her sandals and a new sense of purpose resonating in her steps.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **How long has it been, now... Over six months have passed since the previous update. As you can see, productivity is at an all-time low. Video games and school suck up all my time, and I spend less time writing than I should. This is going to change—hopefully!—because I've recently rediscovered the reason I picked up the pen.**

 **The root of the problem lies in that which is unfinished stories. Having four or five different projects going at once makes it even harder for me to actually sit down and dedicate myself to one story. So, I hope to reduce this number of ongoing stories to something reasonable so my attention isn't as divided. It'll take a little while, but this definitely won't be a recurring problem.**

 **Another thing: Some of you may have noticed drastic and subtle changes in my writing style; for one, I've stopped writing these notes at the end of every chapter. I'll probably keep it for this story, though, for consistency's sake. My style and personality have changed a lot over the six months since, and the story may seem unfamiliar or written differently. I won't apologize, though; I feel like I've improved, and I definitely want feedback. Tell me if, and why, you like or dislike the way the story is written.**

 **I'm going to try my best to pull my act together, so bear with me! These are turbulent times, so I understand a lot has changed. Honestly, if you're still reading this story, if you're happy to see it updated, if you liked the chapter—I'm writing this for you. I hope you enjoyed!**

"It's me, Sym! I'm here with Konata and Kagami—"

"Hello, this is your guest speaker Konata!"

"Shush, Konata. He's trying to do the ending."

"—and welcome back, everyone, to the Chapter's End! We're happy to be back after our unscheduled hiatus of two hundred and four days. It's been a long time coming, but we haven't been forgotten yet. On the bright side, we get a new streamlined, all-dialogue section now! What do you think? Tell us if you like this format better.

"So, there was a whole lot of talk about a game called Dagger Quest, and I'm sure a lot of people out there know about that franchise. Konata, you're a fan aren't you?"

"Totally! Did you know there's actually an MMO now? DQ X, it's on the Wii. Kagami, you'd be a little interested in it. It's pretty forgiving for beginners."

"Well, I do like the Dagger Quest series, but... is it really worth it? I don't want to pay the subscription fee if I won't have enough time to play."

"Actually, you don't even need the subscription. There're two hours every day when you can play for free, since the developers want to make it more accessible for all ages!"

"Really? That's cool. I guess I'll try it out, but we don't really have a Wii."

"Oh... we'll have to wait for a port, then."

"See you in the next chapter!"


	6. Discontinuance Notice

**As of this date, 12/27/16, I will no longer be updating** **Lucky Star: What Comes After** **.**

 **This story never took off in quite the same way as its predecessor,** **Lucky Star: Between Two Friends** **. That story was the first that really incited a passion for writing, although I did not know it at the time; I wrote it because I enjoyed Lucky Star and the relationship between Konata and Kagami, affectionately known as Konami. Even today, I still write for the fanfiction archive because I love my characters and the act of writing—putting them into situations comedic, dramatic, and sometimes risqué.**

 **Back on topic. I have decided that this act of juggling an excessive amount of stories does not allow me to function to my fullest. Dividing my attention creates discrepancies within the stories I write, as well as long intervals between chapter updates.**

 **Originally, I planned to keep this story ongoing and update it regularly if not frequently. However, I will not lie: My interests and drive in writing have changed. I no longer have the time nor interest in writing this story, and there are plenty of other things I would rather do with my time.**

 **This story will not be deleted, but it will be discontinued here. To those of you who were hoping for an actual chapter, I apologize. But to those of you who in any way looked forward to chapter notifications, I not give my apologies but my thanks. As a writer whose habits, motives, outlooks, interests, and styles shift so often, I want to thank you for sticking by me and the jarring changes in my writing life. Especial gratitude for Gigarot, whose support I've had from near the beginning; RedlerRed7, whose company I love like none other; and DracoSlayer95, whose stoic visage keeps me smiling and chuckling.**


End file.
